O ambiente nas políticas públicas em Portugal

Abstract

Despite almost thirty years of environmental activities with the first 'environmental' steps taken in Portugal in the early 1970s, it was only in the mid-1980s with Portugal's joining the European Community that policy guidelines for environmental action were drawn up and established and later consolidated in the 1990s. In a accordance with the general European trend, the Portuguese environmental policy was aimed at preventive measures, at least in some areas. Portugal reflected on the issues over a period of time and defined environmental priorities in practically all areas of economic and social life. In terms of the state's financial projects (central and local administration), strategy for environmental policies put the emphasis on undertakings that required heavy investment in infrastructures. This article describes the development of the government's environmental policy in Portugal as reflected in the financial support given to environmental projects, according to industrial or geographical criteria, from the state budget. This process is addressed along with the development of the central administration and respective organisation of public services that handle environmental problems and such like. In this aspect, examination of the development of the environmental services structure and its concomitant duties demonstrates the importance given to environmental issues in public policies.