Portugal Environmentalists Demand Fossil Fuel Phase-Out for COP31
As world leaders prepare to gather for the 31st United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP31), Portuguese environmental groups are turning up the heat on their own government. Organizations Zero and Oikos have issued a formal demand for Portugal to establish a definitive timetable for phasing out fossil fuels and a robust multi-year climate financing plan.
The ‘When’ of Fossil Fuel Abandonment
In an online briefing held Monday, the organizations argued that Portugal must lead by example by setting an expiration date for the use of fossil gas in electricity production. While previous summits have focused on the “what” and the “how” of the green transition, Zero president Francisco Ferreira emphasized that the upcoming summit in Antalya, Turkey, must address the “when.”
“I don’t expect a COP of major announcements, but Antalya must prove that climate multilateralism still produces concrete results,” Ferreira said. “Regarding the abandonment of fossil fuels, Dubai decided the ‘what’; Santa Marta began discussing the ‘how’; Antalya must start responding to the ‘when’.”
Closing the Implementation Gap
The advocates expressed frustration over domestic delays, noting that the Portuguese government has yet to fulfill key requirements of the Climate Basis Law. Specifically, they pointed out that the Council for Climate Action remains non-operational and the updated roadmap to achieve carbon neutrality by 2045 has not been presented.
Beyond domestic policy, Zero and Oikos are pushing for a stronger international role for Portugal. They are urging the government to support a “Lusophone Climate Fund” and expand debt-for-climate investment swaps to more Portuguese-speaking nations. Following a successful pilot with Cape Verde, the groups suggest São Tomé and Príncipe should be the next priority for such financial relief.
Justice for Vulnerable Nations
Financing remains a contentious issue heading into the summit. José Luís Monteiro, project coordinator for Oikos, highlighted the disparity between corporate earnings and climate aid. “While oil companies break profit records, the most vulnerable countries are waiting for a Loss and Damage Fund that has not yet disbursed a single cent,” he stated.
The organizations are calling for the elimination of fossil fuel subsidies and a shift toward grants—rather than loans—to ensure that climate adaptation does not bury developing nations under more debt.
A Summit Focused on Action
COP31, scheduled for November 9–20, will be co-chaired by Turkey and Australia. Unlike previous years that sought a single, landmark agreement, this year’s summit aims to close the “implementation gap” and finalize commitments already on the books.
Representatives from both Zero and Oikos will be on the ground in Antalya to monitor negotiations and hold the Portuguese delegation accountable to the 1.5-degree Celsius warming limit. Their message is clear: the time for promises has passed; the time for a calendar of action has arrived.
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