Reimagine Our Spaces - MSA at the Science in the City 26 September 2026

Reimagine Our Spaces

As part of Science in the City 2026, MSA and the Department of Sociology at UM will present Reimagine Our Spaces, an interactive activity inviting the public to reflect on how planning and development decisions shape their everyday lives.

Grounded in the principles of Social Impact Assessments (SIAs), the activity encourages participants to consider who benefits, who may be excluded, and how our shared spaces could be made more inclusive and equitable.

Through a simple Keep – Change – Remove activity, participants will explore familiar Maltese locations, including Triton Square, St Anne Street in Floriana, and Għadira Bay. They will share their experiences, reflect on how these spaces have changed, and imagine how they could be improved in the future.

The activity connects with the Research, Resist, Reimagine theme:

 Research: Sharing experiences and observations of how spaces work for different people.

 Resist: Questioning decisions, identifying challenges, and giving voice to concerns.

 Reimagine: Proposing ideas for more inclusive, accessible and community-oriented spaces.

Facilitated by sociologists, the activity will also introduce participants to the role of Social Impact Assessments in understanding the social consequences of development. Feedback collected throughout the day will be documented and may contribute to wider public discussions and consultations concerning these sites.

We’d love to have you join us and help make sociology part of the conversation! 

 Saturday, 26 September 2026 | 6 pm
 Science in the City Street Festival, near Triton Fountain

PRESS RELEASE: Malta Sociological Association Calls for Social Impact Assessment in EU Emissions Trading System Measures

 

PRESS RELEASE

Malta Sociological Association Calls for Social Impact Assessment in EU Emissions Trading System Measures

​24 August 2026

The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) has submitted its views on proposed developments concerning the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and the implementation of financial compensation measures under ETS2, highlighting the need to ensure that Europe’s transition towards climate neutrality is environmentally effective, economically viable, and socially just.

Safeguarding fair competition in maritime transport

The MSA notes the proposed update to the list of neighbouring container transhipment ports under the EU Emissions Trading System and supports measures that safeguard the environmental integrity of the ETS while ensuring fair competition across the maritime sector.

The Association recommends that the implementation of the Regulation should not create incentives for shipping operators to relocate activities to neighbouring non-EU ports primarily because of lower labour costs, weaker social protections, or less stringent environmental and regulatory standards. Such practices could undermine the objectives of EU climate policy, social rights, and the principles of a just transition.

The MSA stresses that particular consideration should be given to small island states and peripheral EU regions, whose ports play an essential role in territorial cohesion, connectivity, employment, and economic resilience. These regions should not be placed at a competitive disadvantage through regulatory asymmetries that encourage the diversion of maritime activities towards jurisdictions operating under substantially lower labour, social, or environmental standards.

The ​M​SA therefore recommends that the implementation and future evaluation of the ETS incorporate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside environmental and economic considerations. SIA can strengthen evidence-informed policymaking by identifying and assessing impacts on workers, port communities, regional development, and maritime employment.

Ensuring a socially just transition under ETS2

The MSA also notes the European Commission’s initiative on financial compensation under ETS2, covering buildings, road transport, and additional sectors, and recognises its importance in supporting a fair and socially just transition towards climate neutrality.

The Association recommends that the design, implementation, and evaluation of compensation measures explicitly incorporate Social Impact Assessment alongside environmental and economic considerations.

Carbon pricing and related measures may affect social groups unevenly, particularly lower-income households, older persons, persons with disabilities, and communities with limited access to affordable and sustainable transport or energy alternatives.

The MSA encourages a stronger social rights approach, recognising access to affordable energy, mobility, and a healthy environment as important components of social wellbeing and inclusion. Financial compensation should therefore prioritise those most affected by the transition, while also supporting long-term investments that reduce social vulnerabilities and strengthen resilience.

Future evaluations of ETS2 compensation measures should assess their wider social impacts, including effects on inequality, energy poverty, transport accessibility, employment, and territorial cohesion.

Recognising the needs of island and peripheral regions

The MSA further emphasises that ETS2 should adequately account for the specific circumstances of small-island, insular, and peripheral regions within the European Union, as well as the particular challenges faced by small island states more broadly.

Geographical isolation, dependence on maritime and road transport, limited economies of scale, and restricted access to alternative energy and transport systems can create additional social and economic pressures during the transition to a low-carbon economy.

The MSA therefore calls for appropriate mitigating and compensatory measures to address these impacts and ensure that climate policies do not disproportionately burden communities that already face structural geographical and economic disadvantages.

Putting social impact at the centre of climate policy

For the MSA, the transition to low-carbon transport, energy, and other sectors must extend beyond environmental and economic indicators. The social consequences of climate policy must also be systematically assessed.

Embedding Social Impact Assessment within the implementation and evaluation of the ETS and ETS2 would contribute to more comprehensive and evidence-informed policymaking. It would enable policymakers to identify unintended social consequences, anticipate distributional impacts, and develop measures that support workers, households, communities, and regions affected by decarbonisation.

The Malta Sociological Association believes that climate action should reinforce rather than undermine decent work, fair competition, social inclusion, and the long-term resilience of European coastal, island, and peripheral communities.

A successful transition to climate neutrality must therefore be not only environmentally effective and economically viable, but also socially sustainable and equitable.

Public Consultation Feedback: Financial Compensation EU emissions trading system (ETS2)

 The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the European Commission's initiative on financial compensation under the EU Emissions Trading System for buildings, road transport and additional sectors (ETS2), recognising its importance in supporting a fair and socially just transition to climate neutrality.

The MSA recommends that the design, implementation and evaluation of compensation measures explicitly incorporate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside environmental and economic considerations. Carbon pricing may affect different social groups unevenly, particularly lower-income households, older persons, persons with disabilities, and communities with limited access to affordable and sustainable transport or energy alternatives.

The MSA also encourages a stronger social rights approach, recognising access to affordable energy, mobility and a healthy environment as essential components of social wellbeing and inclusion. Financial compensation should therefore prioritise those most affected by the transition while promoting long-term investments that reduce social vulnerabilities and improve resilience.

The MSA further recommends that future evaluations of ETS2 compensation measures assess their wider social impacts, including effects on inequality, energy poverty, transport accessibility, employment, and territorial cohesion. Embedding SIA within the implementation of ETS2 would strengthen evidence-informed policymaking and contribute to a transition that is not only environmentally effective but also socially equitable and inclusive across the European Union.

The Malta Sociological Association also emphasizes that the ETS2 should factor in the impacts on small-island (including small island states), insular and peripheral regions within the EU, and hence include mitigating and compensatory measures in relation to such impacts.  

Public Consultation Feedback: EU Fuel Maritime Regulation – updating the list of “neighbouring container transhipment ports"

 The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the proposed update to the list of neighbouring container transhipment ports under the FuelEU Maritime Regulation and supports measures that safeguard the environmental integrity of the Regulation while ensuring fair competition across the maritime sector.

The MSA recommends that the implementation of the Regulation should not create incentives for shipping operators to shift activities to neighbouring non-EU ports, primarily because of lower labour costs, weaker social protections, less stringent environmental standards, or more precarious regulatory frameworks. Such practices risk undermining both the objectives of the European Green Deal and the EU's commitment to a socially just transition.

Particular consideration should be given to small island states and peripheral EU regions, whose ports play a vital role in territorial cohesion, economic resilience, employment, and connectivity. These regions should not be placed at a competitive disadvantage through regulatory asymmetries that encourage the relocation of maritime activities to jurisdictions operating under substantially lower labour, social, or environmental standards.

The MSA further recommends that the implementation and future evaluation of the Regulation explicitly incorporate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside environmental and economic considerations. This would enable policymakers to assess impacts on workers, port communities, regional development, and employment, while promoting socially sustainable and equitable maritime governance across the European Union.

Public Consultation Feedback: EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) – update to list of neighbouring container transhipment ports

The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the proposed update to the list of neighbouring container transhipment ports under the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) and supports measures that safeguard the environmental integrity of the ETS while ensuring fair competition across the maritime sector.

The MSA recommends that the implementation of the Regulation should not create incentives for shipping operators to relocate activities to neighbouring non-EU ports primarily because of lower labour costs, weaker social protections, or less stringent environmental and regulatory standards. Such practices risk undermining the objectives of the EU's climate policies, social rights, and the principles of a just transition.

Particular consideration should be given to small island states and peripheral EU regions, whose ports are essential for territorial cohesion, connectivity, employment, and economic resilience. These regions should not be placed at a competitive disadvantage through regulatory asymmetries that encourage the diversion of maritime activities to jurisdictions operating under substantially lower labour, social, or environmental standards.

The MSA also recommends that the implementation and future evaluation of the ETS incorporate Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside environmental and economic considerations. This would strengthen evidence-informed policymaking by assessing impacts on workers, port communities, regional development, and maritime employment, while promoting socially sustainable and equitable decarbonisation across the European Union.

The transition to low-carbon maritime transport should be environmentally effective, economically viable, and socially just, ensuring that climate action reinforces rather than undermines decent work, fair competition, and the long-term resilience of European coastal and island communities.

Public Consultation Feedback: EU Birds and Habitats Directives – stress test

The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the stress test of the Birds and Habitats Directives and recommends that any review strengthen implementation while maintaining the Directives' high level of environmental protection. The MSA recommends mainstreaming Social Impact Assessment (SIA) alongside ecological and economic considerations, recognising that biodiversity conservation has important implications for communities, livelihoods, health, cultural heritage and quality of life. The review should strengthen stakeholder participation, policy coherence and evidence-informed decision-making, while giving particular attention to small island states and coastal communities, where environmental and social systems are closely interconnected. Simplification should improve implementation without weakening environmental safeguards or social sustainability.

Public Consultation Feedback: European Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy

 The Malta Sociological Association (MSA) notes the European Commission's initiative to develop a European Ocean Research and Innovation Strategy and recognises its importance in supporting sustainable, resilient and evidence-informed ocean governance.

The MSA recommends that the Strategy explicitly strengthen the contribution of the social sciences, including sociology, alongside the natural sciences, engineering and technological innovation. Many ocean challenges—including climate adaptation, the blue economy, fisheries, coastal development, maritime transport, marine conservation and ocean governance—have important social dimensions that require interdisciplinary research.

The MSA also recommends mainstreaming Social Impact Assessment (SIA) within European ocean research and innovation. Research and innovation should not only advance scientific and technological knowledge but also improve understanding of how ocean policies and innovations affect coastal communities, workers, social inequalities, cultural heritage, wellbeing and public participation.

Particular attention should be given to the experiences of small island states, peripheral regions and coastal communities, where environmental, economic and social challenges are often closely interconnected.

The MSA further encourages the Strategy to promote participatory and transdisciplinary research, bringing together researchers, policymakers, civil society, industry and local communities in the co-production of knowledge. Such an approach would contribute to more socially just, inclusive and effective ocean research and innovation across the European Union.