Stephen Saliba is a Team Manager within the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) as well as a local visual artist. Although often perceived as two worlds apart, science and art constitute an integral part of his life, mutually contributing to his professional and artistic development.  

Stephen has graduated from the University of Malta with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Chemistry, and a Master of Science in Coastal Ecology for which he studied the faunal composition of the intertidal zone on sandy beaches. He has since worked within the previous Malta Environment and Planning Authority and ERA in the environmental field for the past eighteen years handling a range of topics including climate change, agriculture and marine policies. Presently, he is leading a team of officers working on the protection of native habitats and species, and the management of ecologically important sites, especially the protected Natura 2000 sites which are governed through the European Commission’s Habitats Directive.  

During his years with the Authority he was involved in various environmental projects and initiatives aimed at safeguarding and restoring the ecological status of local flora and fauna. His role at ERA entails continuous collaboration with different stakeholders including NGOs, private and governmental entities with the aim of working towards local and European environmental goals. Stephen strongly believes that working with nature means working with people, and in fulfilling his role within the ERA he ensures that this principle is respected and that environmental issues are approached within the wider socio-economic aspects.