The government has brought forward to 2026 the goal of creating 30% of marine protected areas, initially planned for 2030, the prime minister announced on Wednesday, saying that Portugal intends to maintain a "leading position in the blue economy". These announcements were made by António Costa at the Sustainable Blue Economy Investment Forum, which is taking place this Wednesday at the Estoril Congress Centre in Lisbon, and aims to "debate economic growth driven by the ocean economy".In the area of renewable energies, António Costa said that Portugal has the ambition to "reach an installed offshore wind energy production capacity of ten gigawatts by 2030".Alongside these announcements, António Costa stressed that Portugal is "strongly committed to decarbonising maritime transport" and "continues to actively invest in infrastructure for the blue economy", noting that the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) includes a "financing plan of 87 million euros for the creation of the Blue Hub" Portugal, "a network of research and development centres and universities focused on marine science, technology and innovation".This hub, according to the Prime Minister, will "double the number of start-ups operating in Portugal in the area of the blue economy, as well as the number of projects supported by public funds." Costa stressed that Portugal wants to be "a European pole of excellence in the area of blue biotechnology, attracting investment and know-how from all over the world to develop cutting-edge science and generate new market value." The International Blue Biotechnology Centre is being created on the grounds of the former Matosinhos refinery.The chief executive said that "for few countries is the sea as fundamental as it is for Portugal" and emphasised that, at national level, "the bioeconomy and blue biotechnology already play a fundamental role." "But the potential for growth is enormous and, in this sense, Portugal has integrated its maritime policy, ordered its maritime space and promoted renewable ocean energies in order to create all the conditions to be at the forefront of the blue economy," he stressed.
News published based on the original story in Público newspaper: https://www.publico.pt/2023/10/04/azul/noticia/governo-antecipa-criacao-30-areas-marinhas-protegidas-2026-2065632
GOVERNMENT BRINGS FORWARD CREATION OF 30% OF MARINE PROTECTED AREAS TO 2026
