The European Union has the vision, programme and financial instruments to face up to the current crisis - Main contents

The Portuguese Minister for the Environment and Climate Action, João Pedro Matos Fernandes took part in the webinar organised by the Portuguese Energy Association (APE) and the Energy Agency (ADENE), at which the main European policies for the environment, climate action and energy were presented.

During the event, which brought together members of the World Energy Council (WEC), João Pedro Matos Fernandes stressed the Portuguese Presidency’s five key objectives: to achieve a Europe that is resilient, social, green, digital and global.

Guaranteeing that the European Union has the vision, programme and financial instruments to face up to the current crisis, the minister underlined, as holder of the environment portfolio, the five main axes of the Portuguese Presidency: “climate action; the circular economy; zero pollution (including chemicals); biodiversity; and cross-cutting issues”, insisting that “this is the time to deliver a fair, green and digital recovery”.

On energy policy, the ADENE president, Nelson Lage, underscored the “renovation wave” strategy, which “will play a crucial role in economic recovery, underpinning the rehabilitation of buildings, helping to improve energy and water efficiency, stimulating the circular economy, promoting well-being and inclusion, and tackling energy poverty”.

Arguing that the economy and sustainability should proceed hand in hand, Nelson Lage declared his belief that Portugal would succeed in “attaining the goal of carbon neutrality in 2050, through the electrification of the economy based on renewable sources, with a great impact on the transition from internal combustion to electric transport”.