Black Gold in Portugal: El Dorado or our destruction?

The Young Reporters for the Environment (YRE) of the Caneças Secundary School (in the municipality of Loures), with the support of the parents, travel to Peniche (West Region) to know more about the Campaign against oil and gas exploration.

Within the scope of this campaign, a bicycle ride was scheduled for 26^th march and the YRE were planning to participate. However, this activity has to be postponed due to the poor climate conditions. Although it was not possible to be involved in this activity, YRE interviewed Ricardo Vicente, one of the founders of this Campaign, called “Peniche free of oil”.

Campaign against oil exploration in Peniche

YRE: How the Campaign “Peniche free of oil” was born?

Ricardo Vicente: The Campaign emerged in response to considerable dissatisfaction about oil exploration in Peniche. In 27^th july 2016, a raising awareness action was taken place in order to discuss this issue and since then several public meetings were scheduled, namely in clubs and café. We have launched our first petition which was subscribed by 6.000 people that want the cancellation of the actual contracts in Peniche and inland. In this moment the petition is in the Republic Assembly. We gathered important celebrities, namely from Campaigns as “Futuro Limpo” and “Climáximo”.

YRE: If the oil and gas exploration and drilling move forward, what will be the consequences for Peniche and the Portuguese coast?

Ricardo Vicente: The impacts will be critical. Some of them had already happened. The exploratory work has to be conducted on the basis of a seismic activity. This is a long and complex process with negative effects to fishermen, as they turned way from the land where the seismic activity takes place. Additionally, the fisherman were never been paid or get any advantage for that.

YRE: What people normally say about the oil industry? Is it going to be positive for the economy?

Ricardo Vicente: Tourism, agriculture, fishing and hotel business are significant sectors of our economy and are of great importance for the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, this is being called into question. We are talking about less than one hundredth of a percentage point of the national GDP, which oil industry could represent. This contracts forecast a free delivery of natural resources as rents are 15€/km². In Norway, the same contracts are almost 4.000€/ km². In terms of royalties, the percentage of the total sales promoted by the oil industry is less than 9%, whereas in Norway this value goes up to 80%.

Another problem is the climate change. Portugal is aiming for the ambitious goal of “zero carbon” till 2050. The capacity to retain carbon through the C0₂ of the forests is equivalent to the carbon emitted by our country. This means that the balance is zero and no more measures are necessary. Portugal wants to make a difference in the fight against climate change and help to solve today’s environmental challenges. Faced with a challenge of this magnitude, we need to give priority to investments in clean technologies and renewable energy.

YRE: What is expected to happen in the future?

A number of sportive actions are foreseen to reinforce the need to use cleaner and more environmentally friendly actions. In 29^th april is going to take place a demonstration in order to promote environmental and climate protection. We expect that the government will soon take a firm stance against the exploration and production of crude oil.