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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Nos últimos 20 anos, a Convenção de Aarhus tem sido fundamental na apropriação da democracia
ambiental e da sustentabilidade dentro da Região da Comissão Económica para a Europa das Nações
Unidas (CEE-ONU) e além. O acesso efetivo à informação, a participação pública e o acesso à justiça
são guias essenciais para promover um processo inclusivo e participativo para projetos ambientais e de
planeamento espacial e devem ser resguardados pelos Estados Membros a fim de garantir que estes
serviços sejam entregues para benefício geral dos cidadãos. O objetivo geral deste Relatório de Estágio
foi avaliar a eficácia da aplicação da Convenção de Aarhus em Portugal e identificar os principais
constrangimentos, desafios e oportunidades para melhoria da implementação da Convenção no país. Este
trabalho fora elaborado através de pesquisa bibliográfica e documental e atividades desenvolvidas junto
ao Conselho Nacional do Ambiente e do Desenvolvimento Sustentável. Em análise aos dois últimos
Relatórios de Implementação Nacional enviados por Portugal e aos procedimentos e resultados de
consulta pública de alguns instrumentos de políticas de ambiente e do ordenamento do território,
verificou-se que a legislação nacional correspondente está pavimentada nos três pilares de Aarhus,
porém a realidade é ainda de baixos níveis de participação em consultas públicas, de acesso inócuo à
informação e infrutífero à justiça. Ainda, através de um inquérito conduzido pela Agência Portuguesa
do Ambiente aos 308 municípios portugueses, constatou-se que cerca de metade dos (poucos)
respondentes declaram conhecer a Convenção, revelando que este instrumento ainda não tem raízes
profundas na “consciência” dos municípios portugueses e, por conseguinte, da sua população. É
necessário encarar os cidadãos como agentes dos pleitos ambientais e abrir espaço à uma era de
participação pública mais expressiva, através da simplificação da informação e da sondagem de novas
técnicas e métodos de consulta popular, de forma a instaurar uma cultura global colaborativa em matéria
ambiental, amparada pelas diretrizes de Aarhus.
Over the past 20 years, the Aarhus Convention has been fundamental in the takeover of environmental democracy and sustainability within the EEC Region and beyond. Effective access to information, public participation and access to justice are essential guides to promoting an inclusive and participatory process for environmental and spatial planning projects and must be safeguarded by the Member States to ensure that these services are delivered for the general benefit of citizens. The general objective of this Internship Report was to evaluate the effectiveness of the application of the Aarhus Convention in Portugal and to identify the main constraints, challenges and opportunities for improving the implementation of the Convention in the country. This work was elaborated through bibliographical and documental research and activities developed within the National Council for the Environment and Sustainable Development. In analyzing the last two National Implementation Reports sent by Portugal and the procedures and results of public consultation of some environmental policy instruments and territorial planning, it was verified that the corresponding national legislation is based on the three pillars of Aarhus, but the reality is still about low levels of participation in public consultations, innocuous access to information and fruitless access to justice. Also, through a survey conducted by the Portuguese Environment Agency to 308 Portuguese municipalities, it was found that about half of the (few) respondents declare to know the Convention, revealing that this instrument still does not have deep roots in the “conscience” of Portuguese municipalities and, therefore, of its population. It is necessary to see citizens as agents of environmental claims and open space for an era of more expressive public participation, through the simplification of information and the probing of new techniques and methods of popular consultation, in order to establish a collaborative global culture in environmental matters, supported by the Aarhus guidelines.
Over the past 20 years, the Aarhus Convention has been fundamental in the takeover of environmental democracy and sustainability within the EEC Region and beyond. Effective access to information, public participation and access to justice are essential guides to promoting an inclusive and participatory process for environmental and spatial planning projects and must be safeguarded by the Member States to ensure that these services are delivered for the general benefit of citizens. The general objective of this Internship Report was to evaluate the effectiveness of the application of the Aarhus Convention in Portugal and to identify the main constraints, challenges and opportunities for improving the implementation of the Convention in the country. This work was elaborated through bibliographical and documental research and activities developed within the National Council for the Environment and Sustainable Development. In analyzing the last two National Implementation Reports sent by Portugal and the procedures and results of public consultation of some environmental policy instruments and territorial planning, it was verified that the corresponding national legislation is based on the three pillars of Aarhus, but the reality is still about low levels of participation in public consultations, innocuous access to information and fruitless access to justice. Also, through a survey conducted by the Portuguese Environment Agency to 308 Portuguese municipalities, it was found that about half of the (few) respondents declare to know the Convention, revealing that this instrument still does not have deep roots in the “conscience” of Portuguese municipalities and, therefore, of its population. It is necessary to see citizens as agents of environmental claims and open space for an era of more expressive public participation, through the simplification of information and the probing of new techniques and methods of popular consultation, in order to establish a collaborative global culture in environmental matters, supported by the Aarhus guidelines.
Description
Tese de mestrado, Ecologia e Gestão Ambiental , 2022, Universidade de Lisboa, Faculdade de Ciências
Keywords
Acesso à Informação Acesso à Justiça Participação Pública Governança Responsabilidade Socioambiental Teses de mestrado - 2023