Best Entry

Nature finds a way, but at what cost?

submitted by Sacred Heart College : Elizabeth Jade Pace and Zoe Zammit  for 11-14
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): other, school media, Students' personal social media platforms
filed under Photos Reporting photo
awarded: Best Entry

Nature has an incredible ability to adapt and find a way to survive even in the most challenging conditions. However, this resilience often comes at a significant cost. Malta is an example of how rapid population growth, overdevelopment and loss of habitat have a negative impact on our lives and the islands biodiversity.   Malta has a rapidly growing population. Malta’s population grew from 417,432 in 2011 to 519,562 in 2021, that is roughly an increase of 25%. On a more worrying note, Eurostat figures show that between 2000 and 2021, construction activity in Malta shot up by an astronomical 330%. This is leading to the destruction of many natural habitats and rural areas in and around our towns and villages.     This loss of habitat has had a significant impact on the country’s biodiversity, with many species now endangered such as the Maltese Freshwater Crab and the Vagrant Hedgehog. The destruction of habitats has also had a knock-on effect on the ecosystem, affecting the pollination of plants and agriculture.  The Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (BES) index, formulated by the Swiss Re Institute, marked 100% of Malta’s ecosystems as fragile!   Nature may find a way to adapt to these changes, but the long-term consequences of overdevelopment and loss of habitat can be catastrophic. It is crucial that we take action to protect and preserve the natural world before it is too late.   Location: Delimara, Marsaxlokk Malta



Read More

Nothing to see here

submitted by Sacred Heart College : Melissa Sansone Sciberras, Nicole Farrugia Wismayer  for 11-14
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): other, school media, Students' personal social media platforms
filed under Campaigning photo Photos
awarded: Best Entry

What happened to our precious world? Is there really anything left to see here? Construction is one of the largest industries in Malta. The high demand for property development in Malta is having a significant impact on the island’s natural environment. One of the main concerns is the loss of green spaces and the fragmentation of habitats due to urbanization. Additionally, the construction process can lead to soil erosion, water and noise pollution and can have negative effects on local biodiversity. Furthermore, construction activities generate large amounts of waste, which can be difficult to manage and dispose of in a sustainable manner. While the Maltese government has introduced regulations to minimize the environmental impact of construction, there is still much work to be done to ensure that construction activities are carried out in a sustainable and responsible way that preserves Malta’s natural environment for future generations. Building excessive buildings everywhere is ruining our natural environment, filling our hometowns with apartment blocks, offices, casinos and hotels. What about our new generations?  What oxygen are we breathing? When are we going to stop building unsustainably? Are we ready to start taking down built-up areas and return them to nature, by planting trees instead? Location: St. Julian’s, Malta



Read More

Tiles from the Ocean

submitted by De La Salle College : Benjamin Calleja Falzon  for 11-14
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): Instragram, other, school magazine, school media, website
filed under Photos series-of-photos
awarded: Best Entry

Let me start by introducing myself – my name is Benjamin Calleja Falzon (Benji in short), I live in Mellieha and will be turning 11 years old this year. I am in Year 6 at De La Salle College, Malta and I’ve recently joined the Young Reports for the Environment (YRE) Malta community. For those of you who do not know what this is, YRE is a global programme designed for students with the main aim being to carry out investigations on local environmental issues and propose solutions through reporting and photojournalism. I have decided to tackle the growing problem of illegal dumping on our island, specifically tiles in our ocean 🌊. Through this page my mission is to spread awareness on the subject of illegal dumping and hope to inspire others to start doing simple things to help protect the earth 🌍. link to Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/tilesfromtheocean



Read More

Loss of Natural Habitat

submitted by Gozo College Middle School : Emma Lynn Cauchi  for 11-14
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): EcoSchools noticeboard, other, school magazine, school media, website
filed under Photos Reporting photo
awarded: Best Entry

Photos show contrastic realities of wildlife living in their natural habitat with a growing concern that these must adapt to new surroundings which are often overwhelmed with human progress and urban sprawl. Photo 1 Snail – “Let me roam as free as can be!” In this picture, the snail is seen happily wandering on leaves in its natural habitat which is still untouched by human beings. Photo 2 Dragonfly – “I prefer a pond or stream rather than this cold piece of steel!” Here, the dragonfly is seen in a different habitat than the one it is used to. Photo 3 Bee “Let me be, wild and free!” The wasp is admired in its natural habitat. Photo 4 Building The spreading of urban developments destroying wildlife habitats.



Read More

Watch Your Steps!

submitted by DINGLI PRIMARY : Ruby Mifsud & Zack Abela Medici  for 7-10
campaign: YRE Entry
dissemination(s): College website and fb page, other, school magazine, website
filed under Campaigning photo Photos
awarded: Best Entry

Animals and insects need our help, especially bees and snails. They need our awareness and our protection. The most important thing to do is to be careful where to step. The worst thing to do is to not take notice and act like nothing is going on around you. The world needs our help and we have to do something. Remember, teamwork makes the dream work and that means we have to work together to save the world. Take a small step to save the world by first helping the living things around you.



Read More

Solar Bulb

submitted by G.F Abela Junior College University of Malta : Marie Therese Pavia  for 15-18
campaign: yre-entry
dissemination(s): newspaper, school media, tv, website
filed under campaigning-photo Photos
awarded: Best Entry, Finalist

An ordinary bulb lit by the setting sun and power lines in the background recall the urgent need to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and invest more in solar energy sources. A sustainable future depends highly on renewable energy sources.



Read More

Your environmental footprint – Walking with, or against, nature?

submitted by G.F Abela Junior College University of Malta : Marie Therese Pavia  for 15-18
campaign: yre-entry
dissemination(s): newspaper, school media, tv, website
filed under campaigning-photo Photos
awarded: Best Entry

All your actions and choices have some impact on the environment. It’s up to you to decide to what extent. Hence, by making sustainable choices, you can reduce your environmental footprint.



Read More

Fighting for survival…is the environment worth fighting for?

submitted by St Benedict College Middle School Kirkop : EkoSkola Committee  for 11-14
campaign: litter-less-campaign-entry
dissemination(s): newspaper, school magazine, school media, website
filed under Photos reporting-photo
awarded: Best Entry, Commended, Finalist



Read More

A Changing Skyline

submitted by St.Dorothy's Senior School : Kyra Abela  for 11-14
campaign: yre-entry
dissemination(s): school media, website
filed under campaigning-photo Photos
awarded: Best Entry

“Due to our limited land mass, more high-rise buildings will be constructed in the future.” – Parliamentary Secretary for Planning and the Property Market. The Real Estate in Malta is booming, and our views have changed into a surreal landscape. Everywhere you look you see apartments, planning authority sites, road construction, and the list goes on. What is happening to the limited amount of green areas we have in Malta? Is the construction more important than the greenery which gives off oxygen essential for us to live? Is it really that important? Meanwhile us students are trying to save what is left using one break at a time, planting one crop at a time….



Read More

Save for the Future

submitted by Maria Regina College Dun Manwel Attard Young Adult Education Resource Centre : Liam Farrugia  for 19+
campaign: yre-entry
dissemination(s): Facebook, noticeboard, other, school media, website
filed under Photos reporting-photo
awarded: Best Entry, HSBC Award, Shortlisted internationally

Only by carefully measuring our choices and being responsible when it comes to our impact on the world’s natural resources can we ensure that generations to come can still live in a healthy and rich environment.



Read More