Environmental Policies
#17Key Findings
With reasonably good outcomes despite some policy tensions, Portugal falls into the upper-middle ranks (rank 17) with regard to environmental policies. Its score on this measure has improved by 0.4 points relative to its 2014 level.
The crisis-era decline in environmental pressure, largely attributable to decreased production, has reversed. The country achieves only mediocre ratings on international climate-change policy performance indexes.
The country has made progress in the area of the circular economy, marine conservation and water management. It is above the EU average in terms of the proportion of protected land. Nature conservation, waste and water management, urban sprawl and sustainable development remain challenges.
The country ratified the Paris climate-change accord in late 2016, and is particularly active in promoting global protection of marine environments.
The crisis-era decline in environmental pressure, largely attributable to decreased production, has reversed. The country achieves only mediocre ratings on international climate-change policy performance indexes.
The country has made progress in the area of the circular economy, marine conservation and water management. It is above the EU average in terms of the proportion of protected land. Nature conservation, waste and water management, urban sprawl and sustainable development remain challenges.
The country ratified the Paris climate-change accord in late 2016, and is particularly active in promoting global protection of marine environments.
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How effectively does environmental policy in your country protect and preserve the sustainability of natural resources and environmental quality?
10
9
9
Environmental policy goals are ambitious and effectively implemented as well as monitored within and across most relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions.
8
7
6
7
6
Environmental policy goals are mainly ambitious and effectively implemented and are monitored within and across some of the relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions.
5
4
3
4
3
Environmental policy goals are neither particularly ambitious nor are they effectively implemented and coordinated across relevant policy sectors.
2
1
1
Environmental concerns have been largely abandoned.
The reduction in production resulting from the 2009 – 2014 economic crisis eased environmental pressures in the first half of the 2010s. This was particularly apparent during the bailout period and economic downturn, when Portugal ranked third in the 2014 and fourth in the 2015 Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI), which measures overall climate protection performance.
As noted in the previous SGI report, the subsequent economic recovery was accompanied by a decline in Portugal’s ranking and score, falling to 18th place worldwide in the 2018 CCPI, with an overall score of 59.16 (albeit with a somewhat different methodology) – Portugal’s worst result over the past five years. This decline was arrested in the 2019 CCPI, with Portugal ranking in 17th place and marginally increasing its score to 60.54. This relative position was maintained in the most 2022 CCPI, in which Portugal ranks 16th with a score of 61.11.
Portugal’s score in the “Domestic Policy” component of the CCPI, which assesses countries’ policies and measures as well as their implementation and effects, declined from a rating of “high” in 2019 CCPI to one of “medium” in the 2022 report. As in other areas, there is some lag between the laws that have been passed and actual implementation of environmental legislation.
If we look at environmental policy more broadly, Portugal shows improvements in some areas but also challenges in others. The European Commission’s 2019 Environmental Implementation Review for Portugal notes substantial progress with regard to the circular economy, a flagship policy of Ministry of Environment and Climate Action under the first Costa government, as well as some progress on marine conservation and water management, all of which had been areas of challenge noted in the 2017 review. Likewise, Portugal performed above the EU average with regard to eco-innovation, environmental tax revenues as a percentage of GDP and the proportion of land area that is protected.
At the same time, however, the review noted persistent challenges with regard to nature conservation, waste management (including low levels of recycling), water management, low productivity in using material resources to generate wealth and urban sprawl, among others. Overall, the review also noted that sustainable development was not fully taken into account across policy areas.
Citations:
Jan Burck, Ursula Hagen, Franziska Marten, Niklas Höhne, Christoph Bals (2019), The Climate Change Performance Index Results 2019, available online at: https://www.climate-change-performance-index.org/sites/default/files/documents/ccpi-2019-results-190614-web-a4.pdf
Jan Burck, Thea Uhlich, Christoph Bals, Niklas Höhne, Leonardo Nascimento, Ana Tamblyn and Jonas Reuther (2022), The Climate Change Performance Index Results 2022, available online at: https://ccpi.org/download/climate-change-performance-index-2022-2/
European Commission (2019), The EU Environmental Implementation Review 2019 Country Report – Portugal, available online at: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/eir/pdf/report_pt_en.pdf
https://www.portugal.gov.pt/download-ficheiros/ficheiro.aspx?v=%3d%3dBQAAAB%2bLCAAAAAAABAAzNDQ2MgcAWFMUYQUAAAA%3d
As noted in the previous SGI report, the subsequent economic recovery was accompanied by a decline in Portugal’s ranking and score, falling to 18th place worldwide in the 2018 CCPI, with an overall score of 59.16 (albeit with a somewhat different methodology) – Portugal’s worst result over the past five years. This decline was arrested in the 2019 CCPI, with Portugal ranking in 17th place and marginally increasing its score to 60.54. This relative position was maintained in the most 2022 CCPI, in which Portugal ranks 16th with a score of 61.11.
Portugal’s score in the “Domestic Policy” component of the CCPI, which assesses countries’ policies and measures as well as their implementation and effects, declined from a rating of “high” in 2019 CCPI to one of “medium” in the 2022 report. As in other areas, there is some lag between the laws that have been passed and actual implementation of environmental legislation.
If we look at environmental policy more broadly, Portugal shows improvements in some areas but also challenges in others. The European Commission’s 2019 Environmental Implementation Review for Portugal notes substantial progress with regard to the circular economy, a flagship policy of Ministry of Environment and Climate Action under the first Costa government, as well as some progress on marine conservation and water management, all of which had been areas of challenge noted in the 2017 review. Likewise, Portugal performed above the EU average with regard to eco-innovation, environmental tax revenues as a percentage of GDP and the proportion of land area that is protected.
At the same time, however, the review noted persistent challenges with regard to nature conservation, waste management (including low levels of recycling), water management, low productivity in using material resources to generate wealth and urban sprawl, among others. Overall, the review also noted that sustainable development was not fully taken into account across policy areas.
Citations:
Jan Burck, Ursula Hagen, Franziska Marten, Niklas Höhne, Christoph Bals (2019), The Climate Change Performance Index Results 2019, available online at: https://www.climate-change-performance-index.org/sites/default/files/documents/ccpi-2019-results-190614-web-a4.pdf
Jan Burck, Thea Uhlich, Christoph Bals, Niklas Höhne, Leonardo Nascimento, Ana Tamblyn and Jonas Reuther (2022), The Climate Change Performance Index Results 2022, available online at: https://ccpi.org/download/climate-change-performance-index-2022-2/
European Commission (2019), The EU Environmental Implementation Review 2019 Country Report – Portugal, available online at: https://ec.europa.eu/environment/eir/pdf/report_pt_en.pdf
https://www.portugal.gov.pt/download-ficheiros/ficheiro.aspx?v=%3d%3dBQAAAB%2bLCAAAAAAABAAzNDQ2MgcAWFMUYQUAAAA%3d
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To what extent does the government actively contribute to the design and advancement of global environmental protection regimes?
10
9
9
The government actively contributes to international efforts to design and advance global environmental protection regimes. In most cases, it demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, contributes to their being advanced and has introduced appropriate reforms.
8
7
6
7
6
The government contributes to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes. It demonstrates commitment to existing regimes and occasionally contributes to their being advanced and/or has introduced some appropriate reforms.
5
4
3
4
3
The government demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, but does not contribute to their being advanced and has not introduced appropriate reforms.
2
1
1
The government does not contribute to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes.
Portugal agrees to and participates in EU-wide policies on the environment. Portugal signed the Kyoto Protocol and, in September 2016, ratified the Paris Agreement.
The country has also become much more active in promoting the global protection of marine environments, taking advantage of its unique and very large maritime area. Indeed, Portugal has the third largest exclusive economic zone in the European Union and the 20th largest in the world. This is reflected in the fact that the country cohosted the annual Oceans Conference in 2021 and was scheduled to do so again in 2022, attracting ministers responsible for ocean/maritime affairs from around the world.
Portugal’s commitment to advancing global environmental protection is reflected in its performance in the “International Climate Policy” indicator of the 2022 CCPI, which specifically assesses the quality of countries’ international climate diplomacy. Portugal is rated as “high” in this indicator, reflecting its collaborative role in international negotiations. It is one of 12 (out of 64 assessed) to receive this rating. Nevertheless, the proviso in the previous question regarding implementation of domestic environmental policy is applicable at the global level as well.
Citations:
Jan Burck, Ursula Hagen, Franziska Marten, Niklas Höhne, Christoph Bals (2019), The Climate Change Performance Index Results 2019, available online at: https://www.climate-change-performance-index.org/sites/default/files/documents/ccpi-2019-results-190614-web-a4.pdf
The country has also become much more active in promoting the global protection of marine environments, taking advantage of its unique and very large maritime area. Indeed, Portugal has the third largest exclusive economic zone in the European Union and the 20th largest in the world. This is reflected in the fact that the country cohosted the annual Oceans Conference in 2021 and was scheduled to do so again in 2022, attracting ministers responsible for ocean/maritime affairs from around the world.
Portugal’s commitment to advancing global environmental protection is reflected in its performance in the “International Climate Policy” indicator of the 2022 CCPI, which specifically assesses the quality of countries’ international climate diplomacy. Portugal is rated as “high” in this indicator, reflecting its collaborative role in international negotiations. It is one of 12 (out of 64 assessed) to receive this rating. Nevertheless, the proviso in the previous question regarding implementation of domestic environmental policy is applicable at the global level as well.
Citations:
Jan Burck, Ursula Hagen, Franziska Marten, Niklas Höhne, Christoph Bals (2019), The Climate Change Performance Index Results 2019, available online at: https://www.climate-change-performance-index.org/sites/default/files/documents/ccpi-2019-results-190614-web-a4.pdf