Portugal
Portugal’s planning document[1] contained a strategic option (10) on enhancing international cooperation. The document also provided a section on financial means, exploring the application of the Third Community Support Framework (CSF). The compilation of EU funds to support the sectoral policies can and should be redirected to fund directly or indirectly actions in pursuit of this strategy, since the financial planning of the use of these funds does not include a specific breakdown for nature conservation, which require calculations based on coarse estimates necessarily. The document did not consider certainly mobilized financial resources from the budgets of the various departments of the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning, as well as the different ministries that develop sectoral policies relevant to the pursuit of this Strategy, as is the case for example of prevention and combating forest fires. After a certain point, the principle of integration policies force the blurring of boundaries between what a sectoral development policy is and what is inside the implementation of the guidelines emerging from this Strategy or even other environment policies.
The Operational Programme Environment of the CSF III included a considerable sum - totaling 30 million, of which 23 million are EU funds - specifically designed to conservation and enhancement of natural heritage, more specifically as Measure 1, Subprogram 1 ("Sustainable management of natural resources"). The national component of this investment will be secured primarily by the investment budget of the ICN. The same Environment Operational Programme foresees significant investments - 40 million, of which 30 million are EU funds –for the enhancement and protection of natural resources, which include further training courses and coastal defense, which in many cases favor nature conservation and biodiversity whose area of intervention often coincides with areas of Fundamental Network of Nature Conservation, including classified or protected areas. In Suprograma Measure 2 1 ("Valuing and protecting natural resources"), the national component of the investment will be secured primarily by the investment budget of the Office of Water (INAG) or the regional directorates of environment and spatial planning.
In the Rural Development Plan, about 34.3 million will finance agri-environmental measures in protected or classifiedareas, and in these areas that meet the access conditions set out in "Agricultural Environmental Agreement".
There are already several projects in the area of nature conservation negotiated with Spain, to include in the program INTERREG III. Of these projects, the part referring to Portugal reaches a total amount of 12.8 billion, with 9.6 million from the Community. However, this source of funding cannot yet be accounted for as a financial instrument to support the implementation of this strategy, since the projects concerned and others still under negotiation were not targeted, and required the necessary approval. The LIFE programis a financial instrument clearly insufficient to meet the needs and specifically to support the development of EU environmental policies, as is the case of the process of creation of Natura.
With regard to the financial resources for the development of this Strategy from the state budget, national funding is mainly the investment budget ICN. The purpose of strengthening the nature conservation policy has already increased the investment budget of the ICN by 72.2% from 2000 to 2001, rising from just 4.3 million to 7.5 million - which allowed a very significant and widespread increase in budgetary allocation affecting the different protected areas. The distribution of investments over the ICN's 2001 budget already reflects a renewed political orientation, and the budget affects studies and nature conservation actions grow very significantly over the previous year, now representing 63% of the total investment.However, considering the budget PIDDAC ICN only component of national funds, that is to ensure the national component of investments subsidized by EU funds and to address other needs, this ENCNB takes on the political commitment of continued growth in investment in order to raise the current appropriation from approximately 2.9 to 5 million in 2006. Without considering other EU funds,nor direct and indirect investments in nature conservation from other departments of the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and other ministries that pursuing relevant sectoral policies, the enforcement of this ENCNB requires the allocation of about 123 million until 2006.
It should be noted, however, that in addition to public funding, policies for nature conservation and biodiversity are increasingly relying on new tools to support investment, as environment patronage and the different types of economic incentives, including tax incentives.From this point of view, the ongoing tax reform, which elected the environmental component as one of its pillars, should enhance a better use of tax instruments in achieving the objectives of this Strategy.
Financial planning
(2010)[2]
In Portugal, Law No. 11/87 of April 7, gave the Government the responsibility for drafting the National Strategy for the Conservation of Nature and Biodiversity (ENCNB)[3] as an instrument of policy integration for Nature Conservation with other relevant sectoral policies. In addition, Decree-Law No. 21/93 of June 29 states as well, the need to provide the Contracting Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) of a strategy for the Conservation of Biological Diversity. On 11 October 2001, the Council of Ministers adopted Resolution No. 152/2001, the National Strategy for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity (ENCNB), which is a strategic tool of great national importance, namely to achieve the commitment of halting the loss of Biodiversity by 2010.
ENCNB is in force between 2001 and 2010 and has three general objectives:
-To conserve nature and biodiversity, including the notable elements of geology, geomorphology and paleontology;
-To promote the sustainable use of biological resources;
-Contribute to achieving the aims of the processes of international cooperation in the area of nature conservation in which Portugal is involved, in particular the objectives of the CBD, including biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of its components and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from utilization of genetic resources.
These objectives are materialized through ten Strategic Options (OPE), each yielding a set of Directives for Action (DA), some with established deadlines and actors.
Strategic Option 1 - promote scientific research and knowledge about the natural heritage as well as monitoring species, habitats and ecosystems;
Strategic Option 2 - Establishing the Fundamental Network for Nature Conservation and the National System of Classified Areas, integrating in the latter the National Network of Protected Areas;
Strategic Option 3 - promoting the valorization of protected areas and ensure the conservation of natural, cultural and social heritage;
Strategic Option 4 - Ensure the conservation and enhancement of natural heritage sites and of Sites and Special Protection Areas in the process of Natura 2000;
Strategic Option 5 - to develop throughout the country specific actions for the conservation and management of species and habitats as well as safeguard and enhancement of landscape and of the notable elements of geological, geomorphological and paleontological
Strategic option 6 - Promote the integration of Nature Conservation policy and the principle of sustainable use of biological resources in land use planning policy and in the various sectoral policies;
Strategic Option 7 - Improve coordination and cooperation between central, regional and local administration;
Strategic Option 8 - Promote education and training in conservation of nature and biodiversity;
Strategic Option 9 - guarantee information, awareness-raising and public participation, and mobilize and encourage civil society;
Strategic Option 10 - Enhancing international cooperation.
As provided in the ENCNB, its implementation should be subject to an evaluation every three years, in its multiple facets, based on a report prepared with the contributions of the various sectoral ministries under the coordination of the Institute for Nature Conservation (now Institute of Nature Conservation and Biodiversity - ICNB), and adopted by the Interministerial Coordination Committee (CCI), subject to prior opinion of the National Council for the Environment and Sustainable Development (CNADS), where other relevant stakeholders are present, including environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGO).
In terms of monitoring the ENCNB it is worth noting that the CCI, established by Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 41/99 of 17 May, aims precisely to "ensure cooperation in implementing the ENCNB and promoting its integration as far as possible and as appropriate, in the various plans, programs and sectoral policies, in accordance with Article 6 of the CBD”.
It is forseen that the comprehensive review of ENCNB occurs in in the near future, based on an evaluation process and public discussion.
Finally it is worth noting that the ENCNB is "a living document, open to adjustments to the evolving conditions and to the evaluation of its implementation".
Strategic Option 10
Enhancing international cooperation
It is worth noting the efforts made, particularly during the Portuguese presidency of the EU Council, to strengthen international cooperation in the area of nature conservation and biodiversity, both at Community level and multilaterally.
Despite the advice on this matter contained in the ENCNB and the various activities developed, this effort appears to be rather inconsequent, since it does not derive, nor from national priorities that endure over time, nor from the allocation of appropriate resources, which inhibits the appropriate monitoring of the various cases. This situation leads mostly to compromises at the international level but not in a strategic way.
In terms of cooperation for development, bilateral ODA on biodiversity is below desired levels. Biodiversity ODA is reduced in absolute terms, and it becomes even more evident by comparison with the amounts allocated by other members of the DAC/OECD[4]. In relative terms, trying to assess the importance given to biodiversity by the Portuguese ODA, it appears that the Portuguese bilateral ODA in the area of biodiversity represented only 0.1% in 2003/2004 and 0.4% in 2005-2006 of total bilateral ODA, with the average OECD-DAC members showing the following values 2.5% in 2003/2004 and 2.6% in 2005/2006.
Given the above, to improve the implementation of ENCNB it is recommended:
1 - Promote the establishment of clear priorities and guarantee continuity in terms of international cooperation;
2 - Ensure that national participation in international fora strategically and with continuity, strengthening the field of inter-ministerial coordination;
3 - Improve the coordination regarding community processes and multilateral agreements namely its implementation at national level and assess their impact on the nature conservation and biodiversity policy;
4 - Strengthen national cooperation at the transboundary level and within the CPLP;
5 - Improve the effectiveness of exchange and forms of dissemination of information produced in international bodies;
6 - Strengthen synergies between the three Rio Conventions (Conventions on Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification).
1
[1] Portugal (2001). Estratdgia Nacional de Conservacao da Natureza e da Biodiversidade (National Strategy for the Conservation of Nature and Biodiversity), Ministerio do Ambiente e do Ordenamento do Territorio, Setembro 2001, 81 pp.
[2] Portugal (2010). Fourth National Report, Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e da Biodiversidade, I.P., 155 pp.
[3]National Strategy for the Conservation of Nature and Biodiversity - Resolution of the Council of Ministers nº 152/2001, of 11 October:
[4] 0.9 million USD against an average of 92.4 million USD in 2003/2004. 0.9 million USD against na average of 116.8 million USD in 2005/2006