Promotion and Environmental Citizenship: Non-Governmental Environmental Organisations (NGOs)

Associativism is an important reality, representing a fundamental instrument for the participation of populations and of intervention in society.Since 1987, the date of approval of the Law on Environmental Protection Associations, that the Portuguese legal system provides a legal framework for intervention and support to environmental associations.With the NGOA Act, published in 1998, the introduction of the concept of non-governmental environmental organisation (NGO) in our legal system replaces the previous concept of environmental protection association, in response to developments in international law and by giving renewed effectiveness to the action of associations.Non-governmental environmental organisations play a key and relevant role in the promotion, protection and enhancement of the environment by developing action in the public interest.