PORTUGAL Law and Practice Contributed by: Assunção Cristas, Catarina Pinto Correia and Carolina Vaza, VdA
• The National Strategy of Adaptation to Climate Change, which was approved by Council of Minis - ters Resolution 56/2015, the validity of which was extended until 31 December 2025 by the Council of Ministers Resolution 53/2020 (the public consul - tation phase for the proposal of the National Strat - egy of Adaptation to Climate Change 2030 ended in November 2025 and is still under review). • Sectoral plans for adaptation to climate change, in particular with regards to: territory; geography; the natural environment; infrastructure; equipment; built environment; and economic, social and cul - tural activities. • Inter-municipal and municipal plans for adaptation to climate change, for example in inter-municipal - ities such as Algarve and Arrábida and cities such as Lisbon, Aveiro, Maia and Leiria. The PNEC 2030 (as discussed in 2.1 National Cli- mate Change Policy ) contains a strategic long-term vision for a climate-neutral country, setting the follow - ing national targets to be achieved by the year 2030, aligned with a trajectory towards carbon neutrality by 2050: • reducing CO2 emissions by 28.7% for non-ETS sectors; • reducing CO2 emissions, excluding land Use, land- use change, and forestry (LULUCF), by 55%, with reference to the emissions registered in 2005; • reducing primary energy consumption by 35%, with a view to better energy efficiency; and • achieving 15% electricity interconnections. Furthermore, PNEC 2030 sets CO2 reduction targets for the following specific sectors, to be achieved by 2030:
• The Portuguese Environment Agency, which has a mission to propose, develop and monitor the integrated and participatory management of environmental and sustainable development poli - cies, in tandem with other sectorial policies, and in co-operation with public and private entities with the same purpose, with the aim of providing a high level of environmental protection and rendering high-quality services to citizens. • The Portuguese Climate Agency, created by the Decree-Law 122/2024 of December 31st, which has the attributes and resources to act in a trans - versal and multi-sectoral manner on climate action, from reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing renewable energy usage to decarboni - sation and climate neutrality. For this purpose, this recently established agency brings together ser - vices which have been transferred from the Gen - eral Secretariat of the Ministry of the Environment and the Portuguese Environment Agency, while also taking on the management of the Blue Fund and the Environmental Fund, whose legal regimes the Decree-Law amends. • The General Inspection of Agriculture, Sea, Envi - ronment, and Spatial Planning, which carries out inspections regarding all activities, and all public and private entities with environmental relevance, imposing the measures that prevent or eliminate situations of severe danger to human health and safety, and to goods and the environment. • The Water and Waste Regulatory Authority, which ensures the regulation and supervision of the water and waste services, and aims to increase the effi - ciency and effectiveness of the provision of these services. • The Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests, which has a mission to propose, develop, and ensure the execution of nature conservation and forest policies, taking into account the conserva - tion, sustainable use, recovery and recognition of these natural assets. • Regional spatial planning commissions, whose mission is to execute environmental, planning, and regional development policies. • The Directorate-General for Natural Resources and for Maritime Services and Safety, which has a mission to execute policies for the preservation of natural marine resources, fisheries, and aquacul -
• 70% for services; • 40% for transport; • 35% for residences; • 30% for waste and wastewater; and • 11% for agriculture. 2.4 Key Policy/Regulatory Authorities
From a regulatory standpoint, there are several pub - lic entities responsible for enforcing the Portuguese climate change and environmental legal framework.
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