Several companies are currently planning to explore for gas and oil in the Algarve, either onshore and offshore (Gulf of Algarve and Gulf of Alentejo). Several contracts to explore, drill and produce petroleum were already granted. |
Oil and gas exploration on Southern coast trigger opposition among local population, small entrepreneurs whose income depends on tourism and small business. The government seems deaf to their claims but can't ignore the anti-extraction coalition
Description:
Basic Data
| Name of conflict: | Algarve Livre de Petróleo, Portugal |
| Country: | Portugal |
| State or province: | Faro |
| Location of conflict: | Algarve |
| Accuracy of location | MEDIUM (Regional level) |
Source of Conflict
| Type of conflict. 1st level: | Fossil Fuels and Climate Justice/Energy |
| Type of conflict. 2nd level: | Oil and gas exploration and extraction |
| Specific commodities: | Crude oil Natural Gas |
Project Details and Actors
| Project details | |
| Type of population | Unknown |
| Start of the conflict: | 01/03/2015 |
| Company names or state enterprises: | Repsol from Spain PARTEX OIL AND GAS from Portugal Galp from Portugal Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi (Eni) from Italy |
| Relevant government actors: | Governo de Portugal (www.portugal.gov.pt) Entidade Nacional para o Mercado de Combustíveis (www.enmc.pt) |
| Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available: | Plataforma Algarve Livre de Petróleo (www.palp.pt), an umbrella organization including environmentalists and others entities |
Conflict & Mobilization
| Intensity | MEDIUM (street protests, visible mobilization) |
| Reaction stage | PREVENTIVE resistance (precautionary phase) |
| Groups mobilizing: | Local government/political parties Neighbours/citizens/communities Social movements Trade unions Recreational users Local businesses Fisher people |
| Forms of mobilization: | Artistic and creative actions (eg guerilla theatre, murals) Development of a network/collective action Involvement of national and international NGOs Official complaint letters and petitions Public campaigns Arguments for the rights of mother nature Appeals/recourse to economic valuation of the environment |
Impacts
| Environmental Impacts | Potential: Air pollution, Noise pollution, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality, Reduced ecological / hydrological connectivity, Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Global warming, Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Soil contamination, Oil spills, Groundwater pollution or depletion, Large-scale disturbance of hydro and geological systems, Other Environmental impacts |
| Health Impacts | Potential: Exposure to unknown or uncertain complex risks (radiation, etc…), Other environmental related diseases, Other Health impacts, Accidents |
| Socio-economical Impacts | Visible: Loss of landscape/sense of place Potential: Other socio-economic impacts |
Outcome
| Project Status | Stopped |
| Conflict outcome / response: | Court decision (victory for environmental justice) Strengthening of participation Under negotiation Withdrawal of company/investment |
| Proposal and development of alternatives: | Tourism based economy and small business |
| Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?: | Not Sure |
| Briefly explain: | Onshore projects: were cancel by the government after several complains of irregularities. Offshore projects: First Instance Court (Tribunal Administrativo de Loulé) decided in favour of the environment (represented by the following NGOs: Almargem, Quercus, Sciaena and suported by PALP). Court of Appeal overturns first instance decision indicating that the precautionary principle should not be applied. Portugal’s Public Ministry (Ministério Público) publicly announced an appeal against the decision of the Central Administrative Court of the South against the NGOs. Few time later the companies announced their withdrawal. |
Sources & Materials
| Juridical relevant texts related to the conflict (laws, legislations, EIAs, etc) |
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| Related media links to videos, campaigns, social network |
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Meta information
| Last update | 23/08/2016 |
| Conflict ID: | 2225 |
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