Lawrence Saliba lives in Marsascala, Malta, and is an electrical engineer with a long career in the telecommunications sector. Today, he is the Co-Founder and CEO of SmartGenie Ltd, a Maltese start-up focused on smart water management and leak-prevention technology.

His work is strongly linked to sustainability and water conservation, with a particular focus on practical technologies that help people use water more responsibly, reduce avoidable waste, and gain better control over their water consumption. His interests include innovation, climate action, sustainability education, and supporting ideas that can create real impact in everyday life.

Can you tell us about yourself?

My work is strongly linked to sustainability, especially water conservation. In Malta, where water is one of our most precious and stressed resources, I believe we need practical solutions that help people use water more responsibly while reducing avoidable waste and damage. Through SmartGenie, I am working to promote technology that detects abnormal water use, helps prevent leaks, and gives people better control over their water consumption.

My interests include innovation, climate action, sustainability education, and supporting ideas that can create real impact in everyday life. I also enjoy engaging with students, communities, and organisations to raise awareness about environmental responsibility and the importance of acting before problems become crises.

I wanted to become a Climate Ambassador because I believe that change starts with awareness, but it must be supported by action. I want to contribute by sharing knowledge, encouraging practical solutions, and helping others understand that sustainability is not only a global challenge, but also a personal and community responsibility.

What does adapting to climate change mean for you?

For me, adapting to climate change means learning how to do more with less by using smarter, more efficient, and more responsible solutions.

In Malta, where water and energy resources are limited, adaptation cannot be only about reacting when problems happen. It must be about preparing earlier, reducing waste, and building resilience in our homes, businesses, and communities.

Smart readiness solutions have an important role to play. By using technology to monitor, control, and manage resources more intelligently, we can reduce water waste, detect abnormal consumption, prevent avoidable damage, and make better decisions in real time.

Through my work with SmartGenie, I see climate adaptation as a practical responsibility: protecting essential resources, reducing risk, and making sustainability part of everyday life. It means moving from passive reaction to active prevention.

What are the impacts of climate change on your daily life and how do you imagine that our society could address these problems?

Climate change impacts the natural balance of our planet. In Malta, this can be felt through hotter temperatures, pressure on water resources, increased energy demand, and the need to use essential resources more carefully. 

I believe society must address these problems by reducing CO₂ emissions, consuming more responsibly, and most importantly, avoiding waste. Sustainability should not mean reducing quality of life, but learning how to use technology and smarter behaviour to do more with less. 

One practical example is the solution we developed that uses location-based mobile updates to automatically close the water supply when premises are vacant, and reopen it when at least one member returns. This helps prevent unnecessary water waste and reduces the risk of leaks when nobody is present. 

For me, society can address climate change by combining awareness, innovation, prevention, and responsible consumption in everyday life.

How do you think we can involve more young people and local communities in helping find solutions to adapt to climate change?

We should give young people an active role in creating practical climate solutions, not just ask them to attend awareness sessions. Today’s younger generation is technology-savvy and comfortable with apps, sensors, automation, and smart devices. For them, turning homes into smart homes and cities into smart cities is exciting and relevant to their future. 

We should use this strength by involving them in real projects, challenges, workshops, and pilot initiatives focused on water saving, energy efficiency, waste reduction, mobility, and climate resilience. 

Schools, local councils, NGOs, and businesses can work together to give young people the opportunity to test ideas and see the impact of their solutions in their own communities. 

By trusting their skills and creativity, we can motivate them to become problem-solvers and active contributors to climate adaptation.