A Climate Justice conference was held last weekend, 8th and 9th of April, with more than 100 environmentalists and academics meeting at the Institute of Social Sciences in Lisbon.
Over the two days, key priorities and actions were discussed in the mission to stop the exploitation of fossil fuels in Portugal, to promote the renewable energy sector and to halt two damaging trade agreements with Canada and the US.
The meeting involved delegates from Portugal and from abroad, from experienced organisations with grass roots experience in the various green topics under discussion.
After the recent media exposure over the lack of transparency of the concession contracts for oil and gas exploration across the Algarve granted to Sousa Cintra’s ‘Portfuel’, a resolution was agreed to increase direct action that will put further pressure on the government to rescind the onshore and offshore exploration contracts.
Offshore drilling in the sea off Sines was covered and an agreement reached to run a summer camp against the exploitation of gas and oil in the Algarve, organised in conjunction with local anti-fracking and anti-oil groups.
For June, the activist have organised a bicycle protest, starting from Viana do Castelo and ending at Vila Real de Santo António, warning people about the fracking planned in four concession areas in Portugal: Batalha, Pombal, Aljezur and Tavira.
On May 11th, a campaign to promote climate related jobs will be launched to highlight the opportunities that can be gained from investment in alternative energy solutions. Thousands of jobs in renewable energy and urban regeneration are urgently needed, as well as in other activities that reduce CO2 emissions.
The commercial treaties between the European Union and Canada (Ceta) and the European Union and the United States (Ttip) were identified as extreme threats to the fight against climate change and social justice and, for good measure, the delegates discussed the formation of a court action against the multinational company, Monsanto.
A second national conference will be run this autumn in the Algarve to review the results of the summer activities that have been planned.
For the bicycle trail information, in Portuguese, see
http://bicicletada.colectivo1000101.org/pt
