The best and worst environmental facts of 2013 (with lists)

The financial and economic crisis continued to influence the sustainability and environmental awareness in 2013, according to the non-governmental organization of Quercus environment, you just draw up their list of best and worst environmental events of the year.

"The financial crisis we are going through at present, in addition to the decrease in the welfare of the majority of the population, has done also by diverting the attention of public opinion of the serious environmental problems that continue to live, both locally, as global", explains the organization.

"Following a logic centred in the short term, and often under pressure from international bodies that influence our policies, we have been witnessing, also in the environmental plan, the various decisions based on short-term objectives, rather than focus on stocks with positive implications in the medium and long term," continues to Quercus.

Meet the best and worst environmental facts of 2013.

The best environmental facts of 2013

1. Container Terminal of Trafaria

"After a disastrous process of imposing a draft that nobody truly knew what it was about, of the mayors involved the national parliamentarians, behold, the Government, in the person of the Secretary of State for transport appears to give up one of the biggest mistakes for the regional planning of the metropolitan area of Lisbon and to the national port strategy. Now define the latter within the framework of the maritime spatial planning. "

2. SILiAmb â€" Integrated environmental licensing System

"The SILiAmb originated in a previously developed system for the licensing of water resources at regional level, having been expanded all over the country and to other contexts, such as the waste. The APA (the Portuguese Agency for environmental protection), in a context of merger and integration of multiple information systems, provided this excellent platform SILiAmb, which allows for greater speed, efficiency, transparency and simplicity in the relationship with citizens and businesses, proving that environmental legislation is not an embarrassment and that the problems there are almost always when public authorities are poorly organized and create bureaucracies inconceivable in an era of dematerialization. "

3. water safe "according to the latest Annual Report of water services and waste in Portugal (RASARP 2012), published by ERSAR, the regulatory authority of the sector, 98% of the water supplied by public supply systems has good quality and is safe."

4.60% of electricity consumed in Continental Portugal resulted from production by renewable sources in the country

"Portugal collects the fruits of an investment policy initiated in the early part of the century, although some environmental impacts are recognised, is one of the main reasons for the reduction of our external economic dependence, to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases, in addition to generating employment. The decisive role renewables allowed Portugal the 3rd place in the climatic performance index of developed countries. "

5. Excellent breeding season of the Iberian Lynx in Silves

"At the National Center for Iberian Lynx reproduction in Silves, born 17 calves, 15 of which are currently purchasing behaviors necessary for their survival in the wild, so they are suitable for reintroduction operations."

6. Plan of urban waste (PERSU) provides 50% recycling in 2020

"The new municipal waste Plan to 2020 envisages ambitious goals of recycling, but perfectly feasible, since for the first time a plan of this genus recognizes the importance of the Mechanical and Biological Treatment to increase recycling. Also reinforces the importance of separate collection and door-to-door PAYT system (pay depending on the waste produced). "

The worst environmental facts of 2013

1. real estate and tourist Projects



2. new works in protected areas-Veiguinhas dams (Bragança â€" PN Montesinho) and Ribeira das Cortes (Covilhã-Serra da Estrela PN) and construction of new road Ã"lo sludges-Barreiro (Vila Real â€" PN Alvão)

"The year was marked by the advancement of two more unnecessary works: the dams of Veiguinhas and Ribeira das Cortes, as well as the construction of a new road in the Park of Alvão, located, respectively, in the municipalities of Bragança, Covilhã and Vila Real. All of them are located in protected areas and will destroy significant natural values, without any justification as to its necessity, and using public funds irresponsibly. "

3. Disinvestment in renewable energies

"Portugal has an enormous potential for the use of various forms of renewable energy production in a future where the weight of the electrical energy in final energy is increasing. Support decentralised investments, with lower environmental impacts, generating economies of scale and lower prices, it is essential for the country. The Government, with badly made accounts and short-term logic, triggered in 2013 the stagnation of the sector with environmental, economic and social consequences for the future. "

4. environmental impact Declaration favourable to the mining Project of good faith, Évora on the site of Community importance of Monfurado (Natura 2000)

"The Government decided to allow the installation of a complex of mineralized auriferous deposits exploration in a total area of 99.56 acres in the parish of Nossa Senhora da Boa Fé, Évora municipality, being part of the projected area within the site of Community Importance Monfurado (Natura 2000). The uncertainties own gold price fluctuations in the international markets and the lack of guarantee of the assumption of the risks and costs associated with the implementation of all the measures envisaged for the refurbishment of the area, as well as for the prevention, monitoring and control of possible future accidents situations, demonstrate that this is a bold initiative that just might bringas the history of mining activities in Portugal has proven, more costs to taxpayers in the near future. "

5. environmental impact statement favorable to detail plan of Praia Grande (Lagoa dos Salgados)

"Another decision which puts into question the performance of the State Secretary of the environment, in deciding in favour of the claim of Finalgarve â€" a company of what's left of society Lusa business â€" in order to allow for the construction of the tourist resort of Praia Grande (municipality of Silves), next to Lagoa dos Salgados."

6. review of the plan of the Tagus International Natural Park

"The process for reviewing the plan of the Tagus International Natural Park is another bad news for those who advocate the preservation of natural values in Portugal, since the Government's decision will allow browsing without rules throughout the year in the rivers Tagus and Ponsul fault scarp in areas essential to the reproduction of the black stork."

7. approval of the Legal Regime of Afforestation and Reforestation

"With the approval of the Legal Regime of Afforestation and reforestation, in Council of Ministers on May 30, is repealed legislation since the beginning of the last century, as the forest regime, by removing restrictions on planting of fast-growing forest species around springs and cultivated agricultural land. This new Regime will hinder the natural species of plantation forest and facilitating Portuguese arborizações of monocultures of eucalyptus trees, being as well as a reverse action of the civilizational forestry services. "

8. Government's inability to manage the waste issues

"Continue to verify major problems at the level of the Secretariat of State of the environment and of the Portuguese Agency for environment in the management of various waste issues, in particular the huge delay in permits for the managing bodies of packaging and other streams, in total incapacity to control the management of waste electrical and electronic equipment, in the continuation of serious illegalities in the management of end-of life vehicles and in the definition of municipal waste recycling targets too low for Li and Valorsul. Still exists a lack of considerable control of the destinies of the waste, which has mainly to do with the huge delay in the introduction of electronic guides. "

9. pollution of the river Noéme (guard) continues

"Also at the local level, various situations affecting the environment continued unfortunately occur in Portugal. The year 2013 ends without polluting discharges, clearly visible in the final stretch of the river says (Noéme River tributary) have come to an end. "

10. Amendment of legislation of environmental protection

"The Government announced and has undertaken the amendment of a very significant set of legislative changes on environmental issues, part of which already implemented during the year of 2013. This is a fundamental change in the legislative landscape and environmental planning, change that which has been prohibited the participation of civil society in General and, in particular, of the various NGOS. It is hard to see how the articulation between the various legal regimes and the changes they guess may be made through a transparent and efficient process between the various public and private entities, are heard only public bodies, with expresses the principle of participatory democracy infringement constitutionally enshrined. "

11. Transcription of the Community directive on the use of pesticides ' Bad transcription of Directive 2009/128CE of the European Parliament and of the Council of 10/21/2009 establishing a framework for community level action on the sustainable use of pesticides, transposed into national law by Act No. 26/2013, of 11 April. The main objectives of the Directive are the reduction of risks from the use of pesticides and the implementation of integrated pest management by all users of pesticides until 1/1/2014. Now, among other changes, were removed almost all references to the integrated protection mode, misrepresenting unacceptably the very spirit of the directive. "

Foto:  AiresAlmeida / Creative Commons

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