The Territorial Strategy and Model (PNPOT) is the leading instrument of the territorial management system. It defines objectives and strategic options for territorial development and establishes the organisation model of the national territory. The PNPOT is the reference framework for other territorial programmes and plans and a guiding instrument for strategies with territorial impact.
The Territorial Principles and Challenges are derived from the problems and strategic territorial resources identified in the Diagnosis and the Critical Changes and Territorial Trends. The Territorial Model establishes the desired spatial organisation model based on territorial systems, including the Natural System, Urban System, Social System, Economic System, and Connectivity System. The programme highlights the critical vulnerabilities arising from current territorial fragilities and their potential to impact the future. It addresses the need to anticipate changes and their impacts, emphasising the growing interdependence between urban, rural, and diffuse settlement areas. Additionally, it stresses the importance of promoting inclusion and valuing territorial diversity.
The strategy also emphasises the optimization of the road network and diversifying forms of mobility, as well as the development of natural resources for more sustainable and inclusive development models. It underscores the susceptibility of Portugal to natural and man-made hazards and the impacts of climate change, emphasising the relevance of socio-ecological resilience in the context of changes.
Overall, the report advocates for a circular and integrated perspective to address changes, including climate and demographic changes, and emphasises the need for more balanced and integrating models of intervention to foster collaborative and resilient societies.
