Air pollution - National Responses (Portugal)

Air quality improvement plans have been drawn up in response to the results of the air quality evaluation, particularly in situations in which limit values are exceeded, and aim to apply sustainable options to achieve levels that guarantee the protection of human health and the environment in general.

Air quality improvement plans were approved in 2008 in the Lisbon and Tagus Valley Region and in the Northern Region in response to PM₁₀ concentrations in excess of the tolerance level. These plans analyse the state of environmental air quality, identify sources of pollution and propose policies and measures to improve the situation by suggesting short-term actions to achieve the objective concerned.

The Portuguese Environment and Health Action Plan (PT-NEHAP 2008-2013), also approved in 2008, aims to improve the efficiency of policies to prevent, control and reduce environmentally-caused health risks, promoting the integration of knowledge and innovation, thereby contributing to the country's economic and social development, with air quality as a priority domain.

In 2004, the publication of the framework regulation, Decree-Law No. 78/2004 of 3 April 2004 on the prevention and control of atmospheric emissions, heralded a new scheme applicable to small facilities subsidiary to the specific legislation resulting from the transposition of Community Directives. These regulations, associated to the National Emission Ceilings Programme (NECP) and the National Emissions Reduction Plan (NERP) from Large Combustion Plants (LCP), led to the necessary actions/measures for implementing a consistent and harmonised strategy to combat atmospheric pollution.

Another fundamental instrument in this sector is the National System of Inventories of Emissions by Sources and Removal by Sinks of Atmospheric Pollutants – NSIESRSAP. This system is coordinated by APA, which is also responsible for drawing up the National Inventory of Emissions by Sources and Removal by Sinks of Atmospheric Pollutants (NIESRSAP) and for sending these to the appropriate Community and international institutions.

The legal framework for integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) has also been updated. This establishes the framework for integrated prevention and control of pollution from certain activities (essentially large industrial activities) and sets measures to prevent or, failing that, to cut emissions of such activities into the air, water or soil, to prevent and control noise and waste production and achieve a high level of protection of the environment as a whole.