“You have the right to live in an environment that doesn’t kill you, and therefore a healthy environment is essential as a human right”, said MEP Cyrus Engerer during a public debate on the environment as a human right at Europe House on Friday. 

MEP Engerer emphasised that without a healthy environment, people’s health also suffers, leading to a deteriorating quality of life. 

He noted that in the European Parliament work is being done to include this right in the European Charter of Fundamental Rights, and it could possibly become part of the reform of the Union Treaties.

He also takes the view that work can be done proactively: Malta could change its constitution and introduce the right to a healthy environment, and take a leading role in Europe on this as it has done in the field of LGBTIQ rights. 

MEP Engerer was interviewed by moderator Claire Agius Ordway and also answered questions from the public. He spoke about his work in the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety, in the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, as well as in the Committee on Constitutional Affairs. 

He also spoke about his work in the Special Committee against cancer where research analysed showed that cancer could be reduced by 40%, and this objective was introduced as a basis for each Committee’s work. 

He also spoke about civil liberties, equality, mental health, the life situations of LGBTIQ people, and access to medicines, including his work for a derogation to enable continued access in Malta to medicines from the UK. 

MEP Engerer encouraged action at various levels, national, European and even individual through European citizens’ initiatives. 

He stressed the importance of participating in the European elections, to influence Europe’s direction: “With our vote we will also be determining who will lead the European Union and what political path it will take in the coming years.” 

The debate was also interpreted in sign language and broadcast live online on the social media of the European Parliament in Malta. 

This was one of a series of events being organised by the European Parliament Office in Malta to inform and engage the public on the work of the European Parliament and of the Maltese MEPs as the current five-year term comes to an end this year.  These discussions are also part of the EP’s together.eu initiative. The next public debate will be with MEP David Casa on the European Disability Card on 9 February at 17.00 at the House of Europe. 

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