Lisbon, Aug. 14, 2025 (Lusa) - Emissions from the 10 biggest polluters in Portugal fell by 11% between 2023 and 2024, according to an analysis by environmental association Zero, which ranks Galp's refinery as the top polluter.
Galp, says the association in a statement released on Thursday, not only continues to lead the list of the most polluting companies but has also increased its emissions by 11%.
Based on data from the European Commission on emissions associated with the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EETS), Zero's ranking of the most polluting entities is mostly made up of the refining, energy and cement sectors and flag carrier TAP, which rose to second place on the list (it was third last year).
However, in global terms, there was a reduction in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the main greenhouse gas causing climate change, especially due to the drop in emissions from fossil natural gas power plants for electricity production, mainly in the Tapada do Outeiro but also in Pego power stations, due to a greater weight of renewable energies.
The 10 biggest polluters in the 2024 ranking are thus dominated by Petrogal - Sines Refinery, followed by TAP, cement manufacturers Cimpor - Alhandra and Cimpor - Souselas, in third and fourth place, respectively, and Secil - Outão, in the middle of the table.
In sixth place is Elecgás - Pego Combined Cycle Power Plant, followed by CMP, Cimentos, Fábrica Maceira-Liz, and then in eighth place EDP - Lares Thermoelectric Power Plant. In ninth place on the list of the most polluting companies is Lusical - Indústria Mineral-Calcinação de Calcários - Produção de cales não hidráulicas, and in tenth place is Turbogás, a combined cycle power plant in Tapada do Outeiro.
Compared to 2023, the most significant changes are the significant reductions in emissions from fossil natural gas-fired power plants. Turbogás, Tapada do Outeiro, was in second place in the previous ranking and is now in 10th place, and Elecgás (Pego) was in fourth place and has fallen to sixth.
In its analysis of the data, Zero highlights Petrogal's Sines refinery for dominating the ranking for the fourth consecutive year.
The figure achieved by the refining sector "shows the very significant and growing weight of fossil fuels in our economy and pollutant emissions; GALP continues to be a company focused on the exploration and production of fossil fuels, with more than six and a half times its investment dedicated to them compared to investment in renewables," says Zero in the statement.
It adds: between 2023 and 2024, emissions reached around 2.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, an increase of 11% (around 270,000 tonnes), representing almost 5% of Portugal's total net emissions in 2023 (for comparison).
TAP saw a slight increase in emissions of 1%, but rose to second place due to an 80% drop in emissions from Tapada do Outeiro. Emissions from the three natural gas-fired power stations fell from 2.7 million tonnes in 2023 to 1.1 million in 2024.
Counting the total emissions of the 10 most polluting sources, there was a reduction in emissions from 9.5 million tonnes in 2023 to 8.5 million tonnes in 2024, a decrease of 11%. The reduction between 2022 and 2023 had been 14%.
According to the list, in addition to increases at the Sines refinery (up 11%) and TAP (up 1%), Cimpor Alhandra increased emissions by 24%, Souselas by 3% and Secil de Outão by 4%.
The other five all reduced their emissions.
Elecgás (Pego) fell by 47%, CMP Maceira by 1%, EDP by 9%, Lusical by 3% and Turbogás by 80%.
ETS (the European Emissions Trading Scheme) includes the main units in highly polluting sectors, such as thermal power stations, refining, cement, paper pulp and glass, among others.
In Portugal, 136 companies reported emissions in 2024 under the ETS.
In the case of thermal power plants using fossil fuels, all emission licences must be acquired (purchased at auction), while in other sectors a large proportion of licences are offered free of charge and the remainder must be purchased.
In the near future, everything indicates that the Sines refinery, fossil natural gas combined cycle power plants and the cement sector will continue to dominate the ranking of the largest carbon dioxide emitting business units, alongside growth in the aviation sector.
Zero's analysis is part of the LIFE EFFECT project, funded by the European Commission, which aims to promote broader civil society participation in decision-making and monitoring processes, ensuring that ETS benefits not only the climate but also people.
The ETS operates through a ‘cap and trade’ system, where a maximum emission limit is set and companies can trade licences to emit CO2 within that limit.
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