Panorama 71: POSEUR prioritises sustainability and climate change

Helena Pinheiro de Azevedo, President of POSEUR Managing Authority, tells Panorama how Portugal is taking on the sustainability and climate change challenge. 

How is the sustainability and climate agenda being implemented in the Operational Programme for Sustainability and Efficient Use of Resources (POSEUR) and what is expected to be achieved by 2023?

Through the support of the Cohesion Fund, POSEUR ensures a wide range of interventions in the areas of sustainability and climate, including very relevant contributions to the following thematic objectives (TOs): TO 4 - Support the transition to a low-carbon economy in all sectors; TO 5 - Promote climate change adaptation and risk prevention and management; and TO 6 - Preserve and protect the environment and promote resource efficiency.

In relation to what is expected to be achieved in 2023 in the various investment priorities, it is important to highlight the very significant contribution to climate change mitigation through various measures that contribute to the emissions of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. The target for 2023 points to an annual reduction of 124 000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent. This will result from investment support for the reinforcement of energy production capacity from renewable sources, for the increase of energy efficiency in central public administration buildings. and for more sustainable urban mobility, decreasing fossil-fuel consumption and increasing the use of clean public transport, while reducing individual motorised transport.

Reference should also be made to support from the National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (ENAAC) 2020 and the prevention and management of risks largely associated with climate. The aim is to extend CCA plans across the national territory, implement adaptive measures and raise awareness among the population, as well as making relevant investments for coastal protection and prevention of the risks that most threaten the territory, particularly forest fires and floods. By the end of the project, the intervention is expected to span 75 kilometres of coastline for the protection of people and goods, reaching 80 % of the national population who will benefit from protection against forest fires.

Finally, it is also worth noting POSEUR's support for environmental protection and the promotion of resource efficiency. This includes investments in various areas aimed at contributing to the circular economy by increasing the recycling capacity of urban waste (+230 000 tonnes/year), strengthening the quality and sustainability of the water supply (1.8 million people covered by improvements to the water supply) and waste-water sanitation systems (1.6 million people served by improvements in sanitation systems). These measures are also intended to improve the quality of the environment and preserve natural resources, as well as protecting biodiversity and ecosystems, which are also threatened by climate change.

What are the future priorities identified for Portugal in these areas?

Sustainability and climate are the major present and future national priorities, as can be seen in the draft National Energy and Climate Plan 2030 (the final version of which will be submitted to the Commission by the end of 2019) and the Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality 2050. These strategic national documents, which were approved in 2019, defined an Integrated Action Plan, with the central strategic objective of achieving carbon neutrality in Portugal by 2050. This includes, among many others, measures aimed at decarbonising electricity production, increasing energy efficiency in all sectors of the economy, decentralising energy production, decarbonising the residential and public sector and, finally, decarbonising mobility and favouring public transport.

Urgent action must also be taken to combat climate change and its impacts, including building resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related risks and disasters, integrating climate-change measures into national policies, strategies and planning, improving education, raising awareness and human and institutional capacity with regard to mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early-warning measures with respect to climate change.

Within the framework of Cohesion Policy 2021-2027 funding for Portugal, the European Commission also defines in Policy Objective 2 a continuity and deepening of support for sustainability and climate. This has the general objective of contributing to a greener and more low-carbon Europe and a transition to clean and equitable energy, green and blue investments, a circular economy, as well as adaptation to change and risk prevention.

Panorama 71: Portugal’s agenda prioritises growth and sustainability