Natural resources and energy
The mining industry in Portugal has ancient
origins but now employs only a fraction of the
population. At the same time, revenue from the sector
has grown thanks to a modernization and increased
investment since Portugal became an EU member. Portugal
has traditionally depended on imported oil, but in
recent years great efforts have been made on renewable
energy.
Copper and tin are mined on a larger scale and the
country is the world's second and third largest producer
of marble and tungsten respectively. Other important raw
materials extracted are limestone, granite, gold and
uranium.
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Major exports by Portugal with a full list of the top products exported by the country. Includes trade value in U.S. dollars and the percentage for each product category.
For their part, conflicts have arisen between mining
companies and the local population who oppose the
destruction of natural resources due to the consequences
for the environment, while the companies press for the
state to expropriate land for mining to get started. A
large part of the deposits are found on public land,
so-called baldios, where local groups traditionally have
a great influence on how it can be used.
In several places, disputes have erupted about a
possible mining of lithium, Portugal is believed to have
assets of about 60,000 tonnes of the metal, where mining
companies promise investments of just over $ 3 billion,
while resistance to any mines is growing at the
grassroots level, and at least five municipalities have
made a decision in principle against the exploitation of
the deposits.
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When it comes to energy, Portugal has been able to
reduce its previously so strong dependence on oil. In
2015, oil accounted for just over 3 percent of
electricity generation, while coal accounted for nearly
29 percent, natural gas for just over 20 percent and
hydropower for just under 17 percent.
In northern Portugal there are several hydropower
plants. The capacity varies with the water supply.
Alternative energy sources and carbon also contribute to
energy supply. Natural gas is increasingly imported via
a pipeline from Algeria, but gas is also imported from
the Middle East. The hope is to also be able to export
this gas to the rest of Europe. In 2015, a joint
strategy was signed with Spain and France to better
connect the countries' electricity networks for this
purpose. Three years later, the three countries agreed
to build an underwater cable between Spain and France,
partly with money from the EU. The hope is that it will
be put into operation by 2025. Nowadays Portugal
produces so much electricity that it could be exported
to other European countries if only the electricity grid
allows it.
To reduce oil dependence, Portugal has also invested
in renewable energy sources. The country has one of the
world's largest solar energy extraction plants, the wind
power industry is supported and in the sea outside
northern Portugal is the world's first commercial power
plant. The Government's goal is that 60 percent of all
energy will come from renewable sources as of 2020). In
2018, wind and hydro power together accounted for just
over 48 percent of all energy consumed.
Until the late 1990s, the then state-owned Energias
de Portugal (EDP) had a monopoly on the energy market,
but it has since been privatized. In recent years, two
Chinese companies have bought into Portuguese power
companies.
The investments in renewable energy can be seen in
the light of the fact that environmental issues have
increased in importance due to the ongoing climate
change. Portugal's biggest environmental problems are
soil degradation, air pollution and water shortages,
which mainly affect southern Portugal. The consumption
of water is higher than the domestic supply. The
country's large rivers flow into Spain where the water
accumulates in reservoirs, reducing the inflow to
Portugal. In 2002, a new irrigation system favoring
southern Portugal became clear. The system includes
Europe's largest dam, Alqueva. Resources to handle
hazardous waste have been strengthened. An eco tax has
been introduced on certain environmentally hazardous
products. The intention is that the revenue from the tax
should be used to take care of the products when they
land on the dump.
In recent years, Portugal has been hit by major
forest fires, which are partly linked to climate change.
In the past, forest fires used to occur mainly in July
and August, but now the period is extended from June to
October, due to the drier and warmer climate. The
depopulation of the countryside has also contributed to
increasing problems, especially as new tree species that
are more flammable have spread to areas that were
previously cultivated.
At the Paris 2015 climate summit, Portugal negotiated
as part of the EU, and pledged, among other things, not
to let global temperatures exceed 2 degrees. In
September 2016, the Portuguese government formally
signed the Paris Agreement.
FACTS - ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT
Energy use per person
2 132 kilo oil equivalents (2015)
Electricity consumption per person
4663 kWh, kWh (2014)
Carbon dioxide emissions in total
45 053 thousand tonnes (2014)
Carbon dioxide emissions per inhabitant
4.3 tons (2014)
The share of energy from renewable sources
27.2 percent (2015)
2013
November
Public employees' work week is extended
The Constitutional Court decides in a previous trial and says yes to a
contentious government decision to extend the work week of civil servants from
35 to 40 hours.
Parliament is voting for a new budget
The government's plan is to reduce the deficit from 5.6 percent in 2013 to 4
percent in 2014. Several of the measures decided are expected to be tried in the
Constitutional Court.
September
Requirements for the Foreign Minister's departure
The opposition demands the departure of Foreign Minister Rui Machete, since
in an interview with Angolan radio, apologized for the Portuguese national
prosecutor investigating financial crime linked to Angolan leaders (see November
2012).
Success for the opposition in the local elections
Following the austerity policy at national level, the ruling party loses a
lot of support in local elections, including in Lisbon where the socialist
opposition wins big.
July
No "national rescue pact"
After a few days, the Socialist Party interrupts attempts to contribute to a
"national rescue pact". Party leader Seguro says that the government has said no
to almost all proposals on how the loan terms can be renegotiated.
The President calls for a broad settlement
President Cavaco Silva calls on the Government and the Socialist Party to
enter into a broad agreement to support all the austerity necessary until the EU
and IMF support for Portugal expires in June 2014. Thereafter, the President and
the Government should oppose agree to announce new elections. However, the
Socialist Party wants the government to renegotiate the terms of Portugal's
support package from the EU. Socialist leader António José Seguro demands that
the prime minister publicly admit that austerity policy is a failure.
The CDS-PP leader is given new duties
Faced with the risk of a deeper government crisis, Prime Minister Passos
Coelho manages to persuade Portas to remain in the government, but with new
duties. He becomes Deputy Prime Minister with special responsibility for
coordinating economic policy and responsible for contacts with the "Troika" -
the European Commission, the ECB and the IMF.
Political concern when the Foreign Minister resigns
On the following day, Foreign Minister Paulo Portas also resigns in protest
against the cuts. Portas is the leader of the CDS-PP government party. His
departure creates concern for the government's cohesion. As a result of the
political turmoil, a sharp fall in prices on the stock exchange and interest
rates on Portuguese government bonds are rising.
Swap at the finance minister post
Finance Minister Vitor Gaspar resigns after failing to bring down the budget
deficit and government debt. He also refers to the general public's reduced
support for the austerity policy. In his decision to resign, the Constitutional
Court also rejected several of his proposals for budget cuts. Maria Luís
Albuquerque is appointed new finance minister.
June
New big strike is held
The fourth general strike of two years is carried out during one day in
protest of the government's austerity policy.
May
New cuts are announced
Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho announces cuts to tens of thousands of
government jobs, extending working hours and raising pensions. In Lisbon,
thousands of people are demonstrating in union-led protests against austerity.
April
The fight against the budget deficit continues
The government decides to save about EUR 800 million in the state budget. It
thus hopes to reduce the budget deficit to 5.5 percent of GDP and secure the
next loan payment of EUR 2 billion.
Basic conflicting plans
A court declares that four of the government's planned budget cuts contravene
the constitution. The government can instead be forced into cuts in, among other
things, the social, health care and education budget.
March
Requirements for government resignation
Hundreds of thousands of people are demonstrating in Lisbon, Porto and other
cities against austerity and tax increases. There is a demand that the
government resign.
February
Requirements for government resignation
Hundreds of thousands of people are demonstrating in Lisbon, Porto and other
cities against austerity and tax increases. There is a demand that the
government resign.
January
Tens of thousands of teachers on strike
Nearly 30,000 teachers are protesting in Lisbon against the government's
plans for cuts in the education budget, which include lower salaries.
Some financial relief
Interest rates fall and Portugal can take back bond loans in the capital
market again (see Finance).
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