The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and ongoing negotiations on the climate regime have the long-term objective of stabilizing greenhouse gas (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that prevents a dangerous anthropogenic interference in the climate system.

 

To achieve this goal, the average annual global temperature of the Earth's surface must not exceed 2°C above pre-industrial levels.The emission of GHGs is a phenomenon common to several sectors of activity, justifying, therefore, the transversal nature of policies for mitigating climate change and adapting to its effects.

Effectively, to face the problem of climate change there are essentially two lines of action – Mitigation and Adaptation. While mitigation is the process that aims to reduce GHG emissions into the atmosphere, adaptation is the process that seeks to minimize the negative effects of the impacts of climate change on biophysical and socioeconomic systems.

 

The methods for evaluating and determining GHG emissions and their mitigation are perfectly described in diverse bibliography.

 

It is now important, given the widespread awareness that climate change is already underway, and that to some degree its impacts are inevitable, to give increasing attention to the aspect of adaptation.Climate change is a reality and a national priority, given its future impacts on our society, economy and ecosystems.

 

More and more scientific studies and international institutions demonstrate the changes in the global climate system. The studies carried out also indicate that Portugal is among the European countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

The political and institutional response in this matter was updated and developed, and is mirrored in the proposals relating to the Strategic Framework for Climate Policy (QEPiC) – figure 1 which includes, in terms of mitigation and adaptation to climate change, the main policy instruments national policy, including the National Program for Climate Change 2020/2030 (PNAC 2020/2030 "This plan will be replaced by the PNEC 2030, which will come into force in 2021.") and the National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change (ENAAC 2020 ).

 

In terms of mitigation, it also includes the implementation of the European Emissions Trading (ETS).

 

For reporting and monitoring the implementation of the climate policy and the actions developed, the National System for Policies and Measures (SPeM) and the National System of Inventory of Emissions by Sources and Removal by Sinks of Atmospheric Pollutants (SNIERPA) are included in the QEPiC, as well as as the reporting system envisaged within the scope of ENAAC 2020.

 

Figure 1 – QEPiC components.

National Strategy for Adaptation to Climate Change 2020 - ENAAC 2020

In 2010 Portugal approved its National Strategy for Adapting to Climate Change (ENAAC), through Resolution of the Council of Ministers n.º 24/2010, of March 18th. The first phase of ENAAC's work took place between 2010 and 2013 with the following objectives:define measures that Portugal will have to adopt, like the international community, with a view to minimizing the effects of climate change;

 

• Participate, raise awareness and disseminate: raise awareness about climate change and its impacts;

 

• Reduce vulnerability and increase response capacity: in an integrated manner;

 

• Cooperating at an international level: supporting the most vulnerable countries, namely within the framework of the CPLP.

 

The works of the different sectoral groups were developed and a progress report was developed, which highlighted the strategic nature of the work carried out, and identified the limitations in the implementation of the strategy.

 

Based on the experience gained, a review of the ENAAC was carried out, correcting the gaps and capitalizing on the identified strengths and opportunities. The Resolution of the Council of Ministers n.º 56/2015, of July 30th, approves the ENAAC 2020, framing it in the Strategic Framework for Climate Policy (QEPiC), which establishes the vision and objectives of the national climate policy on the 2030 horizon, reinforcing the focus on the development of a competitive, resilient and low-carbon economy, contributing to a new development paradigm for Portugal.

 

• Information and knowledge: keeping scientific knowledge up-to-date and available;

 

• Improve the level of knowledge about climate change;

 

• Implement adaptation measures;

 

• Promote the integration of adaptation into sectoral policies.

 

 

The thematic areas (AT) promote the coherent vertical integration of the different scales necessary for adaptation (from international to local) and horizontal integration (of the different sectors) through the coordination and development of specific work of a multisectoral nature.

 

Horizontal integration is promoted with the development of activities and specific work in nine priority sectors through sectoral working groups (GT).

 

Each WG is presided over by the relevant body(ies) of the central administration that streamlines the involvement of the various sector agents. Taking into account the vision, objectives and TA of ENAAC 2020, each WG has the following competencies:

 

• Identify impacts, vulnerabilities and adaptation measures;

 

• Integrate adaptation into sectoral policies;

 

• Identify needs and knowledge gaps;Promote sectoral studies,

 

• identify sources of funding and monitoring mechanisms;

 

• Prepare activity plan and report;

 

• Contribute to the work of the Thematic Areas ;Articulate, when necessary, with other WG

 

Energy and Energy Security (GT ENERG)

 

The energy sector is of unavoidable importance, given its structuring nature and systemic interdependence with other sectors of the economy. As such, it is also a key area to consider from the perspective of an adaptation strategy, both on the supply side and on the demand side, given that any vulnerabilities could have a multiplier effect resulting from cascading failures, with repercussions on other sectors of activity and concomitantly on consumers.

 

In this sense, integrated contingency plans are of particular importance, allowing to minimize these failures and consequently the number of consumers affected, especially when the dimension of the impact requires the prioritization of energy supply to a certain type of consumer (e.g. hospitals, security forces, fire departments or other nerve centres).

In fact, on the supply side, the value chains of the energy sector have specific areas of risk and vulnerability, both in terms of fixed infrastructure (related to the activities of electricity generation, supply of raw materials and production and shipment of products oil and natural gas) and linear infrastructure (transport and distribution of electricity and transport of fuels).

On the demand side, anomalous increases in energy consumption may occur (demand for electricity for heating and cooling for cold and heat waves, for example), which will also have to be managed in the context of the relevant adaptation measures. In order to mitigate the negative effect of risks, companies in the energy sector have been developing measures and actions to adapt to climate change, which are essentially part of anticipatory adaptation, that is, they constitute a planned and anticipated response that avoids and minimizes the need for large investments in the area of ​​emergency.

• Management of water resources, in terms of their characterization, availability and restrictions on use;

 

• Management of transport routes and port facilities, in terms of their planning and respective adaptation;

 

• Emergency management, in terms of emergency and contingency plans.

 

National Inventory System of Emissions by Sources and Removal by Sinks of Atmospheric Pollutants (SNIERPA)plans.

Within the scope of several international agreements, Portugal must ensure the regular sending of information on the emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and atmospheric pollutants, in order to allow the study of the targets to be established and the verification of their compliance, with the aim of to promote the protection and preservation of ambient air quality and the fight against climate change, the Portuguese Environment Agency, I.P. (APA) is the entity responsible for preparing the various reports and communications arising from obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as well as the European Union (EU), pursuant to Regulation (EU) n. 525/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council, of 21 May 2013, on the creation of a mechanism for monitoring and communicating information on greenhouse gas emissions and reporting at national and EU level on other relevant information with regard to climate change.

For the purposes of preparing reports and other communications, APA relies on the contribution of various public institutions, such as the DGEG, and private institutions, of a sectoral nature, under legal mechanisms, protocols or voluntary agreements, with the basic information provided being decisive for proper reporting to international institutions on climate change.

 

GHG Emissions


     
                                           

The energy sector, including transport, is the main responsible for greenhouse gas emissions throughout the time series, representing 72.6% of national emissions in 2017, and showing a growth of 8.7% compared to 2016. In this sector, energy production and transport are the most important sources, representing approximately 29.5% and 24.3% respectively of total national emissions. The transport sector, largely dominated by road traffic, shows the highest growth in emissions over the period 1990-2017: 68%. After constant growth until the early 2000s, which was followed by a period of stabilization, after 2005 there was a decrease in emissions from this sector.

 

In recent years, there has been a reversal of this trend, with an 8.4% increase in transport emissions between 2013 and 2017.