The Algarve-based pressure group ‘Platform for an Algarve Free of Oil’ (PALP) was received by the Government in Lisbon but its members were not given the opportunity of speaking to the Environment Minister as they had hoped.
Instead, the Secretary of State for the Environment, Carlos Martins, met the group to discuss its proposal to cancel the contracts for the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in the sea and on the land in the Algarve region.
Martins explained that, in accordance with the rules of the Environmental Impact Assessment, the Ministry of the Environment will only call for an EIA if an oil company wants to progress to the extraction stage.
PALP members including Rosa Guedes (GlocalFaro), Marisa Batista (League for the Protection of Nature), Tereza Fonseca (Quercus) and Mariana Alvarez, did not question the law, but added that it is compulsory to respect other national, European and international laws that protect the environment, health and protected natural areas.
PALP highlighted the fact that information had not been gathered by the government, "in particular the opinions of the Institute of Nature Conservation and Forestry (ICNF) and other environmental reports."
Carlos Martins assured the group that he would talk with his counterpart in charge of the Nature Conservation brief, "about the lack of advice from the ICNF and try to collect more information about the process."
The government official also said that he had heard from the Algarve mayors group AMAL that there were concerns about the impact of oil and gas exploration and extraction on land, but he claimed to be unaware that there were concerns about impacts from drilling at sea.
Now that this initial meeting has taken place and a 7,500 signature petition delivered to the ministry, the issue must now be discussed in parliament at a date to be announced.
