Green Malta

Malta on the Move: How the Island Is Reinventing Itself

Anyone moving to Malta is choosing 300 days of sunshine a year, a Mediterranean lifestyle – and a country that is currently overhauling its infrastructure and environmental policy in a fundamental way. In recent years, the government has launched several programmes to rethink transport, green spaces and quality of life and to prepare the island for 2030 and beyond.

At the heart of this transformation are the infrastructure agency Infrastructure Malta, long‑term strategies such as the National Transport Strategy 2050, and an overarching vision for a “Green Malta” with more green spaces, cleaner mobility and better air quality.

We at Bernards Real Estate fully support these initiatives, as they contribute to making Malta an even better place to live.

 

 

 

Infrastructure Malta: More Comfort, Less Traffic

Infrastructure Malta is the state agency responsible for planning, building and maintaining Malta’s road network and other key 

public infrastructure. Its mission is to make the transport network safer, more efficient and more environmentally friendly – a central argument for anyone who cares about good connectivity between home, work and leisure.

Over the past years, more than 300 projects have been carried out, including hundreds of residential streets and important arterial routes that have been newly built or completely upgraded. Major projects such as the Marsa Junction Project and the Santa Luċija underpass have relieved one of the country’s busiest junctions, shortened travel times and at the same time created new pedestrian routes, bus lanes and separated walking and cycling paths.

New Junctions –

and More Space for People

Infrastructure Malta is also working on further projects such as the Msida Creek Project, which will redesign a key coastal junction. The goal is not only to improve traffic flow, but also to transform a large part of the area into public, green spaces – places where people actually want to spend time instead of just driving through.

Projects also include new pedestrian underpasses, bridges and safe crossings, making daily life easier and safer for pedestrians, parents with pushchairs and people with reduced mobility.

 

 

Cycling in Malta: From a Niche Hobby to a Real Option

For many newcomers, one point is particularly interesting: cycling is slowly but visibly developing from a niche activity into a serious mobility option. The government is investing in a national cycling network designed to make cycling in the densely built‑up coastal areas noticeably more attractive and safer.

A key element is a five‑year investment plan of around €35 million, which aims to create 50 to 60 kilometres of additional cycle routes. The first sections link important hotspots between Valletta, Floriana, Msida, Pietà, Blata l‑Bajda and Marsa; pavements are being widened, cycle lanes improved and routes guided as far as possible away from the most heavily trafficked roads.

With the Grand Harbour Cycling Network, a larger system of segregated cycle lanes is being created in the greater harbour area, which will be rolled out in two phases up to 2028 and which will  connect the harbour towns through new protected cycling connections. Already today, large road projects such as Marsa Junction include additional tunnels, overpasses and cycling corridors, giving cyclists separate and therefore safer routes.

 

Vision 2050 & “Green Malta”: More Green, Fewer Emissions

With the National Transport Strategy 2050 and the overarching Malta Vision 2050, the island nation has set out how transport and the environment should evolve over the coming decades. The aim is a transport system that combines economic dynamism, social inclusion and climate protection – in other words, everyday life where people can move around comfortably without relying solely on a private car.

One particularly ambitious goal is that the share of conventional petrol and diesel cars should be roughly halved by 2030 and fully replaced by low‑ or zero‑emission vehicles by 2050. In parallel, emissions in the non‑ETS transport sector are to be significantly reduced by 2030, making electromobility, alternative fuels and more efficient transport planning increasingly important.

Under the umbrella of “Green Malta”, the government is also focusing on new parks, the protection of agricultural land and the expansion of sustainable energy and mobility solutions – a clear plus for anyone who values quality of life and the environment at their place of residence.

 

Project Green: New Parks on Your Doorstep

Complementing transport policy, the authority Project Green is transforming sealed, concrete‑dominated areas into public, green spaces. It is currently working on more than 100 projects across Malta and Gozo, which together will create or upgrade several hundred thousand square metres of open space – from neighbourhood parks and playgrounds to more natural green corridors.

In the coming years alone, dozens of new or regenerated green areas are scheduled for completion, including gardens, valleys and squares in different localities – always with the aim of providing short walking distances to high‑quality outdoor spaces. For new residents this means that even in densely built‑up urban areas, access to a park or green area within walking distance is becoming increasingly likely.

 

Clean Mobility: E‑Cars, Public Transport and Active Travel

The Sustainable Development Strategy 2050 highlights that the transport sector is responsible for almost half of Malta’s emissions – making it the single biggest lever for climate action. Accordingly, Malta is pursuing several parallel approaches: expanding bus services and coastal ferries, making walking and cycling more attractive, and strongly promoting electric vehicles. 

A denser network of charging points is planned – crucial in a country where many people live in apartments and do not have a private parking space with a socket. On top of this, tax incentives and support schemes are being discussed to help businesses and private individuals switch to electric vehicles.

The ports are also becoming “greener”: with shore‑to‑ship power, ships can switch off their engines while berthed and draw electricity from the grid, reducing noise and air pollution in harbour cities. 

What This Means for You as a Future Resident

For anyone considering a move to Malta, this means arriving in a country that is heavily upgrading its infrastructure – with better‑designed streets, new parks, safer junctions and a growing network of cycling and walking routes. At the same time, the state is systematically driving the transition to clean mobility and more sustainable use of energy and land.

From a real estate perspective, these are decisive location factors: neighbourhoods with good connectivity, high‑quality green spaces on the doorstep and attractive options for active mobility – on foot, by bike or e‑scooter – typically gain in value and demand. So if you are looking for a new home in Malta, it is well worth focusing on areas that benefit most from infrastructure upgrades, new cycle routes and Project Green initiatives.