Malta lags behind as EU sees surge in environmental economy employment

While employment in the environmental economy across EU countries surged by an average of 9.5 per cent in 2022, Malta bucked the trend, recording a decline alongside Lithuania and Slovakia.

According to the latest Eurostat data, the overall EU growth ranged from a modest 2.8 per cent increase in Czechia to an impressive 38 per cent rise in Greece. In stark contrast, Malta’s employment in this sector fell, signalling challenges for the country’s green job market.

One of the key areas of growth across the EU was employment in energy resource management, which accounted for 34.8 per cent of environmental economy jobs on average. Countries like Italy, Germany, and Portugal posted significant increases of 73 per cent, 34 per cent, and 48 per cent respectively in this field.

However, Malta remained at the bottom of the scale, with only 3.7 per cent of its environmental economy employment tied to energy resource management. This was one of the lowest rates in the EU, far behind Luxembourg’s leading 70.5 per cent and Sweden’s 68.3 per cent.

Malta’s low share in this crucial sector raises questions about the country’s efforts toward energy transition and sustainability. As other EU nations ramp up investment and job creation in environmental fields, particularly in renewable energy and resource management, Malta risks falling behind.

The decline in environmental economy employment highlights the need for strategic investment and policy support to foster growth in green jobs.

As the EU pushes forward with its green agenda, bridging this gap will be essential for Malta to remain aligned with broader European sustainability goals and economic opportunities.