"We have, in this area, conditions for generating employment and economic outcomes in the short term," said Portugal’s Environment Minister, Moreira da Silva, speaking in Brussels of his green objectives for Portugal's economy.
The minister said the green economy must be a priority for Portugal, at a time when it is nearing the end of the assistance programme, as this is an area of rapid economic growth in Europe.
"At a time when Portugal is approaching the end of its bailout period, it is necessary, along with fiscal responsibility which will continue to be with us for many years, to find a new model of development with structural reforms and selective investments in strategic areas. One of these areas is green growth."
The minister was speaking at a ‘Green Growth Group' summit. He suggested that "Portugal currently seeks to identify options beyond the current rescue period, and it has one new development model that goes beyond the memorandum of understanding – the green economy. This has great potential not only for environmental protection but also for job creation and sustainable growth in the medium and long term."
Given that "the country needs to introduce sectors where we can grow in the future and in the short term," an economy-friendly environment "is an area that can grow at 4% per annum" said da Silva adding that it is difficult to find "many areas that can grow economically at a similar rate."
Moreira da Silva stressed that Portugal "has very significant natural resources. We have wind, sun, water, biodiversity, sea, forest and an existing investment in research and development at universities and by innovative companies.”
Therefore it is Portugal’s intention that "a number of initiatives will be launched to take advantage of green growth which is why we already are in dialogue with the scientific community, with universities, public bodies, with foundations, non-governmental organisations and business, benefiting from the fact that there are new rules in the Community framework for 2014/2020 which makes imperative the allocation of 20% of EU funds to develop a cleaner business model.”
Touching on climate change, da Silva said "Europe is currently faced with the need to make one of two decisions: either use the economic crisis affecting many European countries as an excuse to postpone decisions on climate change, or look at precisely this area as a reason to assert leadership and commitment."
The green group includes the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Portugal, Belgium, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Slovenia and Estonia. All are advocating an ambitious agenda in terms of environmental policy which includes the economic point of view.
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Moreira da Silva is part of a government that has carved up and licenced oil exploration in blocs around the country's coastline. Fewer activities are less 'green.' If he is to champion green growth this will put him head to head with many vested interests with powerful friends. Even the Lisbon based non for profit organisation Gulbenkian Foundation derives its income from the oil company Partex which has a licence for gas fields off the Algarve's shoreline. For the 'green is good, oil is bad' platform to make headway, environmental champions like de Silva have a fight on their hands.
See also: http://www.algarvedailynews.com/features/environment/258-say-no-to-oil-rigs-in-the-algarve
