Porto sets example for the Iberian Peninsula in energy transition

Portugal and Spain, beyond their ancestral relationship, are currently an example of commitment to energy transition. In this context, the II Luso-Spanish Forum was held last Tuesday at the headquarters of the National Association of Young Entrepreneurs (Associação Nacional de Jovens Empresários - ANJE), where the opportunities for economic transformation and reindustrialisation in light of technological development driven by the Iberian commitment to energy transition were the topics of debate.

The Vice-Mayor of Porto participated in the opening session, alongside Joaquim Reis, Director of the Repsol Foundation in Portugal, and Marcos Basante, President of the Corell Foundation, the organising institutions of the meeting.

"The city of Porto aims to become a more sustainable, carbon-neutral city adapted to the challenges posed by climate change. We don't want these objectives to remain just words, but to be realised," stressed Filipe Araújo, while simultaneously making an appeal: "This great mission needs to be embraced by our city's institutions, which also need to make a strong commitment that allows them to go beyond political mandates."

"On this path, it's also important to mobilise and rely on the support and backing of citizens, whether they are residents of Porto, or those who work, study and visit here, always with a view to contributing to a prosperous and sustainable city," added the Councillor for the Environment and Climate Transition.

Filipe Araújo recalled that, in this regard, the municipality has been investing in generating its own energy in municipal buildings by installing photovoltaic panels, encouraging private entities to generate more on their rooftops, through a 500-euro reduction in IMI (Municipal Property Tax) per kilowatt (kW) installed, or by equipping the municipal fleet with electric vehicles.

"None of this can be achieved, nor any goal reached, without everyone's involvement. It was with this spirit that the Municipality launched the Porto Climate Pact in 2022. Its main goal is to bring together public and private organisations and the citizens themselves to actively participate in the city's roadmap towards carbon neutrality by 2030," concluded the Vice-Mayor.