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Portugal set to meet Kyoto Protocol goals by 2012 claims prime minister
• 18 Oct 2007 •
PRIME MINISTER José Sócrates has said that by 2012 Portugal will be in full compliance of the rules set by the Kyoto Protocol for greenhouse gas emissions. Sócrates added that Portugal will try to do better on its environmental practices than the limits set out by the Kyoto Treaty. He pointed to the government’s effort to promote wind, solar and wave power technologies, as well as to research into biofuels, stressing that the county is on Europe’s frontline when it comes to green energy, with 39 per cent of its total electricity needs coming from renewable energy sources. Sócrates set out energy security as a key policy plank for Portugal going forward, stressing that it is urgent that the country beefs up its alternative and renewable energy portfolio so as to reduce reliance on foreign sources of power. In his role as President of the European Union, Sócrates also said energy security was extremely important for Europe as a whole, against a backdrop of soaring petroleum prices, geopolitical instability and outright war in the Middle East, and nearby threats like Russian control of the bulk of natural gas imports into the Union. Sócrates also stressed the importance of reducing greenhouse gases and pollution levels in terms of the energy equation, calling on all nations to make the effort to seal a deal on carbon emission limits for the whole world at an up-coming conference in Bali in December. As one of the first measures following this commitment by the prime minister, Economy Minister Manuel Pinho said last week that the government plans to build 10 new dams in Portugal over the next 12 years, earmarking some 1.14 billion euros for the project. One of these dams will be located in the Algarve at Odelouca. Pinho said the 10 dams would have a total electricity production capacity of 1,000 megawatts in addition to recent projects that have added 2,000 megawatts to Portugal’s hydro capacity, including the Alqueva and Baixo Sabor dams. |  Return to Top
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