Friends of the Earth Malta (FoEM) recently presented urgent research at the European Parliament on the ”environmental crisis facing Comino,” highlighting the delicate balance between high volume tourism and nature protection.
The presentation formed part of the final conference for PRO-COAST, a three year European initiative funded by Horizon Europe and UKRI. Hosted by MEP Andre Franqueira Rodrigues, the event brought together 20 partner organisations and universities across 14 countries to showcase practical, community led tools and 17 key policy recommendations for coastal sustainability across Europe.
FoEM explained that spanning just 2.75 km², the island of Comino is a recognised Natura 2000 protected reserve, serving as a sanctuary for rare plant life, coastal sand dunes, and nesting seabirds. ”However, intense seasonal overtourism, especially around the famous Blue Lagoon, continues to threaten these fragile ecosystems through severe overcrowding, soil erosion, litter, noise pollution, invasive species, and habitat destruction.”
FoEM’s case study focused on these critical pressures alongside ongoing governance challenges, including unregulated commercial infrastructure, waste management issues, and monitoring pest populations.
“Preserving Comino requires real action: strict visitor limits, enforced regulations on commercial activities, and long term protection for both land and marine life,” said FoEM’s director, Martin Galea De Giovanni
Rather than relying solely on passive consultations, FoEM said that its work through PRO COAST brought together local businesses, ferry operators, government bodies, tourists, and residents to co design hands on solutions.
Key outcomes of the campaign include:
Designing a Hub for Environmental Protection: Through PRO COAST, FoEM helped design the vision for converting Comino’s historic Old Bakery into a full fledged Environmental Education Centre. While the physical restoration of the building is supported by other funding sources, the project highlighted how hands-on activities at the site, alongside youth camps, guided nature walks, site clean ups, and invasive species removal, achieved far stronger community participation and retention than passive consultation alone. Once complete, the bakery will establish a lasting base for field research, community workshops, and volunteer education beyond the project’s formal conclusion.
Citizen Science in Action: Volunteer run biodiversity tracking and waste audits significantly advanced understanding of environmental pressures on the island.
Data Driven Management: Using PRO COAST’s digital tools, including the Environmental & Human Use Index (CHUI), the team mapped the exact trade offs between tourism density and nature preservation to help guide future policy.
Through this case-study, FoEM said it has strengthened its environmental work and activism on the island. ”Alongside its efforts to restore native habitats, FoEM continues to call for stricter enforcement of visitor-capacity limits, regulation of commercial activities, and government-led action to restore natural habitats and protect marine ecosystems.”
The organisation also advocates for long-term support for local conservation initiatives.
Meanwhile, FoEM said that it continues to restore Comino’s historic Old Bakery, with the aim of establishing a holistic Environmental Education Centre dedicated to research, community engagement and the preservation of the island’s unique natural environment.
While community involvement has proven vital, FoEM emphasised that local action ”must be matched by official government enforcement, including official visitor capacity caps, stronger marine protections, and off peak ecological monitoring.”
The research and digital tools generated by the project will remain publicly accessible through 2033 via the multilingual Community Sustainability Platform (CUSP) maintained by ESUG.
PRO-COAST unites 20 partners across 14 countries, combining interdisciplinary expertise in ecology, social science, and software engineering. Its 17 Policy Recommendations for the European Commission, national governments, and local authorities provide a roadmap for enabling community transformation through supportive multi-level governance. The project’s legacy includes a commitment from the coordinator, ESUG, to maintain the CUSP platform until 2033, testing whether socio-environmental prototypes for knowledge transfer can thrive on a civic e-network.
Photo: FoEM