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Nos nossos dias, a segurança energética europeia depende muito das dinâmicas regionais das suas fronteiras a norte e a sul, bem como das dimensões de segurança compreendidas pelos seus vizinhos e parceiros. Nesta dissertação é analisada a hipótese de que a segurança energética europeia não é possível de ser alcançada unicamente através da diversificação de fornecedores e rotas de abastecimento, mas que também é necessário atribuir-lhe uma dimensão de segurança regional. Neste contexto, é apresentada a região do mar Mediterrâneo como sendo detentora dos recursos necessários para complementar as linhas de abastecimento energético europeu, analisando a capacidade de desenvolvimento das energias alternativas nesta região capazes de responderem aos elevados consumos energéticos da União Europeia. Nowadays, European energy security largely depends on the regional dynamics of its borders to the North and South, as well as the dimensions of security understood by its neighbours and partners. In this dissertation it’s examined the hypothesis that European energy security cannot be achieved solely through the diversification of suppliers and supply routes, but that it is also necessary to attribute it with a dimension of regional security. In this context, the Mediterranean Sea region is presented as being the holder of the resources needed to complement the European energy supply lines, analyzing the ability of the development of alternative energies in the region able to respond to the high energy consumption of the European Union.

Climate change is a crosscutting, long term, global problem and one of the biggest challenges that humankind is facing. As the fifth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 2013 said, it is clear that climate change is caused by human activity - and more importantly by burning fossil fuels (such as coal, oil, and gas), which emit dangerous greenhouse gases (GHGs). The European Union has sought to be a leader in the international arena in the fight against climate change. For this, the EU has developed a common integrated strategy on energy and climate that aims a low carbon economy as well as a competitive and secure energy. This research is conducting a study of this strategy, specifically the most current energy and climate change Framework for Climate & Energy 2030 policies. First, the aim of the research is to identify whether the political climate model of European integration can become a path to global environmental governance. Second, the historical development of this strategy, its origins and the progressive convergence to its consolidation in the form of an integrated European strategy is discussed. Based on the background analysis of the Single European Act to 2020 Europe Strategy internally, and from the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement from an external point of view, the dissertation will outline the initiative of EU leadership in this area. For this purpose, it is necessary to make a prospective analysis (SWOT and PESTLE) in which all possible recommendations to be considered for this scenario 2030 will be made according to the Framework for Climate & Energy 2030 policies. From this analysis the main recommendation that emerges is that the EU should support especially small- and medium-sized businesses that are unable to invest great monetary resources in the establishment of an increasing greenhouse-gas-reduced production. As a result, this model could be adopted to other regions as well, for example in South America in MERCOSUR.

Um desenvolvimento energético que permita reduzir, ou até substituir, fontes de energias prejudiciais ao ambiente por fontes de energias renováveis e limpas, é o que se busca para o futuro. Estudar as formas de como alcançar esses objetivos energéticos faz parte do atual desafio da ciência, das decisões políticas e do impulso para um crescimento económico sustentável. No contexto europeu, esse atual impasse também poderá ser uma chave para as grandes mudanças, fazendo da transição energética um desenvolvimento de oportunidades. Em alguns países, a Energia Nuclear poderá ser uma alternativa como potencial contribuição a esse processo. Assunto questionável, discutível e polémico que envolve desde o relacionamento da descarbonização da economia, certificados energéticos e políticas verdes como o “medo” da sociedade nessa aposta. O desafio dos Estados-Membros da União Europeia em atingir as metas climáticas, representa um dos “motores propulsores” para o desenvolvimento dessa oportunidade energética e, portanto, uma das principais razões para este argumento manter-se em pauta. O principal propósito para a Dissertação, apresenta-se como uma reflexão atual da Energia Nuclear, a sua resiliência e as potencialidades futuras no contexto da gestão do território europeu. Será que está poderá servir de suporte a atual fase de transição energética? Porque a União Europeia precisa dessa fonte de energia? E por fim, o que leva os países a construírem mais centrais nucleares? ou então fazer com que eles abandonem essa fonte energética? Estas são algumas questões que serão tratadas nas próximas páginas deste trabalho. Energy development that can reduce or even replace environmentally harmful energy sources with renewable and clean energy sources is what we are looking for in the future. Studying how to achieve these energy goals is part of today's science challenge, policy decisions and the drive for sustainable economic growth. In the European context, this current deadlock could also be a key to major changes, making the energy transition a development of opportunities. In some countries, Nuclear Energy may be an alternative as a potential contribution to this process. Questionable, debatable and controversial subject that involves since the relationship of the decarbonization of the economy, energy certificates and green policies as the "fear" of society in this bet. The challenge of EU Member States to meet climate targets is one of the “driving forces” for developing this energy opportunity and therefore one of the main reasons for this argument to remain on the agenda. The main reason for the Dissertation is presented as a current reflection of Nuclear Energy, its resilience and future potentialities in the context of European territory management. Can this support the current phase of energy transition? Why does the European Union need this source of energy? And finally, what drives countries to build more nuclear power plants? or cause them to abandon this energy source? These are some issues that will be addressed in the next pages of this thesis.

The present work sets out the bridge between Environment, Taxation and Renewable Energy, especially aiming to survey the constitutional requirements, both tax and environmental law, in order to establish how they are correlated. It is postulated in the Portuguese Constitution either the right to the environment and the power to tax, therefore, through a fair and rational environmental taxation, it will be possible to foment and enhance employment in Renewable Energy’s industry. It is our goal to analyze the tax mechanisms as well, aiming to understand those which are best adapted to environmental protection. Furthermore, it is likewise our purpose to discuss the assistance to the Renewable. Since endowed with exploding growth, we shall consider the wind energy as Renewable, seeking to demonstrate its benefits to society, economy and environment. O trabalho em apreço pretende fazer a ponte entre Ambiente, Fiscalidade e Energias Renováveis, visando principalmente realizar um levantamento das normas constitucionais, de carácter tributário e de Direito ambiental, no sentido de averiguar como se relacionam. É, pois, na CRP que se consagra quer o direito ao ambiente, quer o poder de tributar, portanto, através de uma tributação ambiental justa e racional, será possível fomentar e melhorar o emprego em Energias Renováveis. Serão ainda analisados os mecanismos tributários, tendo por objectivo perceber aqueles que melhor se adaptam à defesa do ambiente. Além disso, abordaremos a questão do auxílio às Renováveis. Por que dotada de franca expansão, analisaremos como renovável a energia eólica, procurando demostrar as suas vantagens para a sociedade, economia e ambiente.

Within the scope of the sustainability challenges, environment as a human right and the impact of environmental problems in the protection of human rights have gained importance in the international arena. How environmental sustainability and the transition to a low carbon society relate with the protection of human rights is still difficult to evaluate. This work contributes to that discussion. Analyzing the main theoretical contributions, the focus will be on examining the potential of an integrated approach that reconciles environmental protection and the defense of human rights, recognizing the interdependence between the two concepts. publishersversion published

UID/SOC/04647/2013 After the shock that Portugal suffered with the forest fires at Pedrogão Grande (2017), inspiring critical reflections on the role and social responsibility of Geography is especially relevant to develop an adequate response framework for the protection of life, goods and natural resources. This article reflects on a cause -effect -solution relationship to be established for the prevention of forest fires that articulates the geography of energy with municipal planning. It is a critical reflection on the strategic role of the Municipal Master Plan and the possible contributions that the utilization and valorization of the forest biomass can make, with the view to developing municipal bioenergy clusters. Here, cleaning and collecting forest waste for the production of renewable energy emerge as an opportunity to link energy, forest and economic benefits toward an effective fire risk prevention led by municipal decision making. publishersversion published

UID/CPO/04627/2013 Europe has a structural weaknesses in terms of energy. It holds only one percent of the world's conventional oil and about two percent of gas reserves, and sees Russia, its main supplier, enmeshed in a complex geopolitical problem with some neighboring countries, and Europe as a whole. The response given by the EU to increase its energy security, which should have happened a long ago, relies on a bet on the creation of the Single Energy Market or the Energy Union. But these initiatives faced several obstacles, arising from differences in national energy policies, the lack of a common strategy and of a prospective vision, the umbilical link between some European monopolies and Gazprom and the consequent dominance of the European energy market by big monopolies. This paper will discuss the way EU is adapting to a new era for energy and argues the need for a reformulation of the concept of energy security in the light of the most recent global threats. It includes a brief presentation of the possible scenarios faced by EU in the near future as far as energy is concerned. Is there a “Russian issue”? publishersversion published