Decree-Law No. 122/2024 created the Climate Agency, I.P. (ApC), a public institute under the supervision of the Government in the area of the environment, with responsibilities such as developing policies for adaptation to climate change, managing the Environmental and Blue Funds, supervising funds and projects, and acting as the national authority in the European Emissions Trading Scheme and the National Emissions Inventory System. The creation of ApC led to the restructuring of the Portuguese Environment Agency, which now focuses on areas such as water resources, coastal protection and waste.
In order to respond to the growing challenges concerning climate action, the Government created, through Decree-Law 122/2024 of 31 December, the Agência para o Clima, I.P. (ApC).
The ApC was created as a public institution and is subject to the supervision and oversight of the member of Government responsible for the environment, in coordination with the members of the Government responsible for the economy and agriculture.
Among other duties, the ApC will be responsible for:
- Developing national climate change adaptation policies;
- Managing the Environmental Fund and the Blue Fund;
- Carrying out the functions of a paying agent, monitoring, auditing and supervising national, European and international funds, programmes and projects;
- Carrying out the duties of a:
- Competent National Authority for European Emissions Trading (CELE);
- Director and manager of the Portuguese Emissions Trading Registry (RPLE);
- Entity competent for the National System for the Estimation of Emissions by Sources and Removal by Sinks of Air Pollutants (SNIERPA); and
- Coordinator of the National System for Policies and Measures (SPeM), aimed at establishing procedures for the assessment and discussion of mitigation policies and measures in climate action.
With the creation of the ApC, a Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente, I.P. (APA) [Portuguese Environment Agency], which until now had control over climate matters, was restructured, and will now focus mainly on issues such as water management, coastal protection and waste policy.
