Portugal is at the forefront of the countries that are concerned about climate change. By 2050, it will reduce carbon to zero. And it opens the discussion around a residency programme for foreigners who invest in the environment. It's called Green Visa.
First it was Malala Yousafzai teaching the world a lesson. The Pakistani girl, who is now on the list of Nobel Peace laureates, was only 12 years old when she wrote a letter to the BBC explaining the living conditions of her Taliban-stricken people. And today, at the age of 21, she is still fighting for women's rights and access to education for girls in her country. More recently, it was Greta Thunberg who managed to transform herself into an international movement. The 15-year-old Swedish girl decided to strike classes to help save the planet. Her aim was to force politicians in her country to take urgent action against climate change. But the appeal was heard all over the world.
"We children don't usually do what you tell us to do. We do what you do. Since adults don't care about my future, I won't care either. My name is Greta and I'm on a class strike until the Swedish general elections," she announced in a video shared on YouTube, going beyond the message she has written on a pamphlet that she distributes to those who seek her in Parliament, where, week after week, she continues her fight. Perhaps the adults have finally begun to listen to the generations who will live on this planet. There is already a movement called #Fridaysforfuture.
Greta, who is also already nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, has influenced students around the world. "I want you to panic. I want you to feel the fear that I feel every day", she said in one of her statements. Since then, hundreds of thousands of young people from 112 countries have gathered in the streets to protest against governments' inaction to combat global warming. But she has also influenced politicians and countries, including Portugal which, in any case, was already one of the best-positioned countries in the care it devotes to climate change and renewable energy. And it is still in the lead.
In Portugal, Green Visa is under discussion, a programme that allows foreign investors to obtain a national residence permit if they invest five hundred thousand euros (€500,000) or more in environmental development projects, such as organic agriculture, ecotourism and renewable energy.
In practice, it will be a new residence visa that will seek to boost the implementation of the National Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality 2050, since Portugal is committed, in line with the Paris Agreement, with the mission to contribute to limit the increase in the average global temperature of the planet to 2ºC and to make every effort so that it does not exceed 1.5ºC. In a sense, it is Portugal that is responding positively to Greta Thunberg, but also to the thousands of young people who have already joined the Swedish activist.
In Portugal, the areas that may be considered eligible for Green Visa investment are:
1) Promotion and development of projects and investments in ecotourism.
2) Promotion and development of non-intensive organic farming initiatives.
3) Investments aimed at self-consumption with energy from renewable sources.
4) Active contribution to the implementation of the Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality.
5) Development of projects with proven high standards of energy and a mandatory consumption level of 75% or more for energy derived from 100% renewable sources.
The Green Visa will help the country to attract international green investment while ensuring the transition to a circular and decarbonized economy. Visas will be granted to any activity carried out personally or through a company that leads to the implementation of at least one of the situations listed above, in national territory, for a minimum period of five years.
If you need more details about Green Visa Portugal or would like to request information about where and how to make "green investments" to obtain a residence permit in Portugal, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our company provides a recognized service in Porto and North of Portugal and in the Algarve, projecting these regions on the international scene and creating patrimonial value for the client.
