Law nº 19/2014 lays down the foundations of environmental policy in alignment with constitutional mandates. This law serves as a guiding beacon for environmental stewardship, delineating the scope, objectives, and general principles that underpin environmental governance in Portugal. It sets out to ensure the effective implementation of policies that safeguard the environment, as enshrined in the Constitution, fostering a sustainable and harmonious relationship between human activities and the natural world.
Within the framework of Law 19/2014, key themes emerge, including the preservation of soil and subsoil integrity, combating desertification, and promoting rural development. The law underscores the imperative of managing land resources to maintain their environmental, biological, economic, and cultural functions, advocating for measures to mitigate anthropogenic impacts, prevent contamination, and enhance soil quality. By prioritising landscape preservation, the legislation seeks to uphold the aesthetic identity and ecological authenticity of natural and built heritage, contributing to the conservation of regional diversity that defines the national landscape.
Moreover, Law 19/2014 places a strong emphasis on citizen engagement and behavioural components in environmental policy formulation. It advocates for public involvement in environmental decision-making processes, emphasising the dissemination of information, data sharing, and fostering a culture of transparency and accountability. The law recognises the interconnectedness of human actions with environmental outcomes, addressing issues such as climate change, genetically modified organisms, and the integration of new technologies to ensure environmental and human health protection throughout product life cycles.
