ZERO, Portugal’s Association for a Sustainable Terrestrial System, looks back at 2016 and forward to the challenges for next year.
The events to remember
Portugal 100% renewable energy for 107 consecutive hours
Over 4.5 consecutive days (more precisely, between 6:45 am on Saturday, May 7 and 17:45 pm on Wednesday, May 11), electricity consumption in Portugal was provided by renewable sources only.
This corresponded to a total of 107 consecutive hours where no non-renewable sources of electricity were needed, in particular from coal and gas power plants, showing that a transition from the national electric system to 100 % Renewable is feasible.
Paris Agreement enters into force and Portugal will be carbon neutral in 2050
After the Paris Agreement came into force less than a year after signature, in a process aided by the ratification of Portugal, the announcement made by the Prime Minister at the 22nd Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Climate Change in Marrakesh that Portugal will be neutral in emissions of greenhouse gases by 2050, will be a huge challenge for the country involving the whole of Portuguese society. This implies reaching close to 100% renewable energy in the long-term, increasing our energy efficiency and using our forests as a carbon sink.
Election of António Guterres to the Secretary-General of the United Nations
The responses given to country issues during the recent Secretary-General's electoral process give a great deal of hope for urgent and ambitious action in the United Nations for global measures and concerted action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while supporting countries dealing with the effects of climate change. Similarly, the implementation of the 17 sustainable development goals approved in September 2015, a crucial global agenda for 2030, should be given a key impetus.
The beginning of the end of oil and gas exploration in Portugal
The arguments of the Attorney General's Office and the government that practically ensure the unfeasibility of oil and gas exploration in the Algarve and the south Algarve coast show the only way that Portugal can go if it is to be consistent with its policy of progressive reduction of the use of fossil fuels on the national and global scale, i.e. zero carbon.
It is now necessary to ensure that prospecting in the Southwest Alentejo region by the ENI-GALP consortium is halted. Populations, the environment and the local economy, which would have one more risk factor, then could be safeguarded.
Common House of Humanity
In order to maintain the earth system in a favourable and regulated state, with equitable use, it is necessary for the international recognition of this common heritage and its consecration in the international juridical framework.
For this purpose, the recognition of the terrestrial system as an Intangible Natural Heritage of Humanity is proposed. Portugal was the first nation to join this vision, which has started to find new partners. This is a vision that will transform the current paradigm of "resource use" into one of "production of resources". This is a vision that must arise internationally and be implemented if we are to preserve life as we know it.
The events to be regretted
Forest fires
The summer heat once again highlighted the weaknesses of Portugal’s forestry and rural development policies that have been followed in recent decades. The word that best reflects the state of things is ‘absence’: the absence of a land registry, the absence of dialogue between the different bodies responsible, the absence of planning and forest and urban management, the absence of public and private investment, the absence of economic incentives, the absence of any promotion of native trees in forest plantations.
The Government finally realised that we are dealing with an environmental, social and economic problem - and decided to take action. The proposal for forest reform is now under public discussion. Let's hope for an integrated view between public authorities and citizens.
Results of recycling of municipal waste below target
Portugal kept up its poor recycling results compared to its 2020 obligations. The country has a urban waste management plan (RSU) which considers it acceptable that the interior regions have to recycle more than the coastal regions - in particular Lisbon and Oporto. There are few waste management systems and municipalities willing to move forward with changes in their procedures so that more material can be collected for recycling through both the selective collection of organic waste and door-to-door collection.
Result: only 28% recycling in 2015, when the target in 2020 is 50%. Also, contrary to the logic of a circular economy and without taking into account the disastrous results of incineration in Madeira and Terceira where there is an over capacity that prevents the recycling of waste, the intention is to build another incinerator, this time in São Miguel. Much cheaper alternatives that stimulate a true circular economy are perfectly possible to apply.
Accession to sanitation services
Although accessibility to public water and sanitation systems is very high (95% in supply and 80% in sanitation), there is a low compliance rate for both services of only 43%. There are 742,000 households in Portugal with an available water network (561,000 in the case of sanitation), but which are not connected to the service. This can cause environmental and public health problems, besides not promoting a system of equality and sustainability. Also, losses, whether of actual or unbilled water, remain a problem, accounting for more than 30% of the water supplied.
Significant changes in the National Ecological Reserve (REN)
When the laws on land use and town planning were amended, it was feared that a "municipalization" of REN would occur. It was revealed late in 2016 that the REN areas in two municipalities (Alcácer do Sal and Grândola,) had been reduced by 68% and 76% respectively. These changes were made in an irregular manner, without the application of the necessary criteria, with discrepancies and inconsistencies and without the involvement of the ICNF. It is essential for the government to promote a national scrutiny system so as to investigate this and other possible irregularities.
EU trade agreement with Canada
Among the most negative aspects of the year was the signing by the European Council of the trade agreement between the European Union and Canada - CETA. Portugal was one of the countries that said little or nothing about the enormous risks that this agreement entails and showed a total lack of analysis and failed to understand the signals being sent out by civil society. Opposition to CETA was from sectors as diverse as NGOs, trade unions, judges, doctors, various municipalities and regions, in a clear demonstration that civil society no longer wants power in the hands of multinationals.
Expectations for the new year
Zero Carbon Roadmap
For Portugal to become neutral in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 it will have to plan throughout 2017, with the intervention of the various sectors of the society, on how to reach that goal while reviewing the objectives for 2030. To arrive here there needs to be 100% renewable energy, the closure of coal-fired power stations, increased energy efficiency, investment in public transport and electric mobility all complemented by a sustainable forest strategy. ZERO considers that a long-term parliamentary pact on climate policy by 2050 is a key additional political requirement.
National Strategy for the Circular Economy
The decision by the Ministry of the Environment to come up with a national strategy for a circular economy is undoubtedly a good sign as to the seriousness with which this issue is being addressed by the Portuguese government. As there is still no proposal, it is difficult to say if it will go the right way, namely if the necessary deep transformation in the way we look at resources will be integrated. Preventing resource use and promoting the lifetime extension in the economy and society (through repair, reuse, upgrade and recycling facility) will be crucial. ZERO considers that full respect for the waste hierarchy is the key so that the concept of the circular economy is not just another phrase used in speeches without any impact on the construction of a sustainable society.
Almaraz and the Portuguese rivers
The year 2016 saw evidence of instability at the Almaraz nuclear power plant in Spain, the stated intention of extending an already obsolete and dangerous centre until 2030 and the incomprehensible passivity of the Portuguese government despite facts that already are public knowledge. It is hoped that in 2017 the government will assume a clear and firm position on Almaraz in defending the national public interest. The Report of the Monitoring Commission on Tagalog Pollution also has clearly pointed out that the violators (the latter of whom are publicly known recidivists) and the necessary legislative changes that ZERO considers should be applied in order to punish the wrongdoers. It is also remarkable, following the review of the National Dams Program that contains information on obsolete dams and dams to be dismantled as well as the final decision on the construction of the Fridão dam, that the decision went ahead to build the three dams on the Tâmega River.
Environmental Fund
Following the merger of the Portuguese Carbon Fund, the Environmental Intervention Fund, the Water Resources Fund and the Nature Conservation Fund into a single Environmental Fund, ZERO expects full transparency in its application so that it can be clearly understood how the money is spent to ensure that there is no dilution of funds for extraneous tasks and activities and that the targets assigned to each source of revenue are fully complied with.
Final ban on the use of lead in hunting ammunition
The government has proposed that the use of lead in hunting ammunition should taxed at 2 cents as early as 2017, rising to 6 cents in 2019.
ZERO considered the proposal a first step towards a desirable total ban as the figures indicate that 150 to 200 tonnes of this heavy metal are deposited in the ecosystem each year. The parliamentary groups of the PCP, CDS and PSD unfortunately did not subscribe to the measure to the disappointment of the Minister of the Environment. But if the Ministry of the Environment really wants to solve this environmental and public health problem, ZERO believes that the Government can legislate and ban the use of lead before the next hunting season.
Prohibition of the use of phytopharmaceuticals in public spaces
The Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development announced that he would create legislation to ban the use of phytopharmaceuticals in public spaces. It is a very welcome measure but it is overdue because the application of herbicides on public highways is carried out in a recurrent and uncontrolled way despite there being alternative non-chemical solutions for weed control.
ZERO advocates taking advantage of this policy to broaden and improve screening for the presence of chemicals that form the basis of pesticides, insecticides, acaricides, and herbicides now found in food, water resources and humans. An estimated 7,200 tonnes enters the environment every year under the heading of "plant protection".
Non-approval of CETA by the European Parliament
In order for the trade agreement between the EU and Canada to enter into force, even on a provisional basis, it is necessary for the European Parliament to give its consent. The Employment Committee has already given its opinion and in January 2017 it will be the turn of the Environment Committee. Plenary voting is due to take place in February next year and ZERO expects political representatives in the European Parliament to understand the messages that European citizens are sending them and to reject the agreement in its current form. There is an urgent need for the EU to develop trade agreements that uphold the common good and enable the building of a sustainable society, objectives for which CETA does not contribute.
Zero - Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável
