On June 7th in the plenary session, the Portuguese parliament voted for several proposals on climate emergency. After nine rounds of voting, the parliament declared climate emergency and rejected everything that could possibly put any political meaning to it.

The deputies voted in “declaration of the state of emergency”, proposed by BE and PAN. (In favour : PSD, BE, PEV, PAN . Against: PS . Abstention: CDS-PP, PCP .)

They voted against a recommendation that the government “would to everything in its reach to make the country carbon neutral by 2030”, also proposed by BE and by PAN. (In favour: BE, PEV, PAN . Against: PS . Abstention:  PSD, CDS-PP, PCP .)

They further voted against “the closing down of coal power plant until 2023”, proposed by BE. (In favour: BE, PEV, PAN . Against: PS . Abstention: PSD, CDS-PP, PCP .)

The centre-left government party PS systematically voted against all the proposals. The left-wing BE and the ecologist parties PEV and PAN voted in favour or all proposals. The communist party PCP and the right-wing CDS-PP abstained in all cases. The centre-right PSD voted in favour or all proposals that meant nothing in practice, and abstained in those that could be consequential.

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To read Climáximo’s take on what a real climate emergency could look like: O que declaram os governos quando declaram emergência climática? – Climáximo

Just a curious sidenote: On the same plenary, the parliament voted against a proposal that would stop the prolongation of the private concessions for suburban trains (Fertagus) and Lisbon/Setúbal line, thereby voting against turning them into a public service. (In favor: BE, PCP, PEV . Against: PSD, PS, CDS-PP . Abstention: PAN)