Publicação
Renewable energy transition in Portugal, balance, and perspectives: opportunities for SDG 7
| Resumo: | Humanity depends on energy, and its consumption is directly related to social habits, culture, and quality of life. The population growth and the search for a better quality of life lead to a significant increase in energy consumption worldwide. The energy consumed is mainly produced from fossil fuels with high carbon content, and their reserves are heading toward depletion. To reverse the situation, it is necessary to establish strategies to reduce the economic dependence of countries that do not have these reserves, through the stimulation of energy production from renewable sources, with low carbon content, through the promotion of decarbonization of the energy system. Portugal is a country with scarce fossil energy resources, so the economy heavily depends on the import of fossil fuels, especially oil, thus the use of energy produced from renewable sources becomes relevant. This chapter aims to understand if there is an opportunity to implement SDG 7, namely the exploitation of renewable energy in Portugal, to avoid the depletion of fossil fuel reserves, mitigate the impacts of climate change, protect the environment and human health, and reduce national economic dependence. Based on an analysis of available public official data, it was possible to identify a national strategy to increase the contribution of endogenous renewable sources to energy production. The balance reveals the observable success of this strategy, and it can be concluded that in Portugal endogenous renewable sources are significantly increasing their share of energy production. Even so, the political will has to be more evident so that joint efforts are mobilized around a paradigm shift that wants to be sustainable. |
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| Autores principais: | Ferraz, Maria Pia |
| Outros Autores: | Vidal, Diogo Guedes; Dias, Ricardo; Seixas, Paulo Castro |
| Assunto: | Environment and human health Affordable and clean energy Renewable energy sources Sustainable development goals |
| Ano: | 2023 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | capítulo de livro |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso restrito |
| Instituição associada: | Universidade Fernando Pessoa |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório Institucional - Universidade Fernando Pessoa |
| Resumo: | Humanity depends on energy, and its consumption is directly related to social habits, culture, and quality of life. The population growth and the search for a better quality of life lead to a significant increase in energy consumption worldwide. The energy consumed is mainly produced from fossil fuels with high carbon content, and their reserves are heading toward depletion. To reverse the situation, it is necessary to establish strategies to reduce the economic dependence of countries that do not have these reserves, through the stimulation of energy production from renewable sources, with low carbon content, through the promotion of decarbonization of the energy system. Portugal is a country with scarce fossil energy resources, so the economy heavily depends on the import of fossil fuels, especially oil, thus the use of energy produced from renewable sources becomes relevant. This chapter aims to understand if there is an opportunity to implement SDG 7, namely the exploitation of renewable energy in Portugal, to avoid the depletion of fossil fuel reserves, mitigate the impacts of climate change, protect the environment and human health, and reduce national economic dependence. Based on an analysis of available public official data, it was possible to identify a national strategy to increase the contribution of endogenous renewable sources to energy production. The balance reveals the observable success of this strategy, and it can be concluded that in Portugal endogenous renewable sources are significantly increasing their share of energy production. Even so, the political will has to be more evident so that joint efforts are mobilized around a paradigm shift that wants to be sustainable. |
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