Environmentalist association ZERO asked applications what they thought of zero emission zones and presents the answers it received.
On the date when the European Car Free Day is celebrated, the environmentalist association ZERO releases the answers it received from the parties and coalitions running for the municipalities of Lisbon and Porto about their ideas for mobility in the two cities, including on the implementation of low or zero emission zones (ZER or ZZE).
ZERO - Sustainable Earth System Association defends the implementation of these ZERs in a progressive way, "starting in the historic centers and extending them to the outlying areas, and in limited periods of time, such as Sundays and holidays, always with justified exceptions, as is the case of people with reduced mobility".
ZER are zones where polluting vehicles are not allowed and where motorized traffic is reduced as much as possible. Lisbon tried to implement a ZER in downtown, Chiado and Avenida da Liberdade in 2020but the municipality decided to put the project on hold claiming not to want to cause another hardship beyond the pandemic for the merchants. The project of the so-called ZER ABC was suspended and postponed to a subsequent mandate; it is included in the electoral program of the Mais Lisboa coalition, led by the current mayor, Fernando Medina.
"In the pre-pandemic period, in central areas of Lisbon and Porto, concentrations of nitrogen dioxide, one of the pollutants associated with road traffic and with important health consequences, were above the annual limit value set in the legislation"refers to ZERO. "Provisional data for 2021 up to and including last Friday indicate that (...) Lisbon shows high values, but for now below the limit, at the Avenida da Liberdade station, where values are usually highest. With the end of the containment and with three months still ahead, it is likely that the annual average concentration will again exceed the legal limits in the future."
The environmental association considers it important to distinguish between a ZZE and a ZER: in Zero Emission Zones (ZZE) "only zero emission vehicles are allowed"while in Reduced Emission Zones (ZER) "polluting vehicles that meet certain criteria are allowed". In Lisbon, there are already some ZER, although, as The Raven wrote in 2018 be "a great illusion with no practical effects". The project for Baixa-Chiado and Avenida da Liberdade was presented with the nomenclature "ZER" despite being closer to the understanding of a ZZE, since it only foresaw the circulation of electric vehicles and exceptions for merchants and residents.
We reproduce below what each of the applications mentioned in relation to the implementation of ZERs in the city of Lisbon, in response to the association ZERO. You can find the other questions and answers from the parties and coalitions here. In Lisbon, the candidates Somos Todos Lisboa, Mais Lisboa (PS and Livre), PAN, VOLT, CDU (PCP and Verdes), Novos Tempos Lisboa (PSD, CDS-PP, PPM, MPT, Aliança) and Bloco de Esquerda responded to ZERO's appeal.
"Do you have plans for the establishment of Zero Emission Zones? And, specifically, which ones?"
More Lisbon: The Reduced Emissions Zone will be resumed under the terms already publicly presented and a new restricted access zone will be created in Madragoa. The creation of new zones in the city will also be open to discussion.
PAN: Study of the locations, listening to the various stakeholders, including those who live and work in these areas. Advocating a city for people and not for cars, favoring efficient public transport and safe cycling routes before restrictions.
Volt: The Reduced Emission Zone (ZER) must advance immediately, in areas such as Baixa, Chiado, Príncipe Real, Graça, São Bento (including the already existing Bairro Alto, Alfama and Castelo), favoring pedestrianization solutions in coexistence with streetcars, whose expansion and rehabilitation of lines and routes must be promoted.
New Times: Gradually implement a Zero Emission Zones Plan, in order to gradually meet the Climate Transition objectives defined for the City of Lisbon by 2030, and this definition will have to be done zone-by-zone and based on participative processes, with deep involvement of the residents.
CDU: Prioritizes use of public transportation. Individual transport should be relegated to uses for which there is no alternative. It is neither for political parties nor for municipalities to favor sectors of the population with the economic capacity to purchase electric vehicles, or to favor manufacturing companies through public funds under the pretext of promoting the use of electric vehicles among citizens.
We Are All Lisbon: The process has to be carried out according to the conditions that are in place.
BE: The Reduced Emission Zone (ZER) for pollution in Avenida da Liberdade, Baixa, Chiado and Av.a Ribeira das Naus must advance now, as well as the discussion process with the population to advance in other areas that have a high pollution and noise load.
PDR: He considers it a fallacy, since he has been claiming for several years that Lisbon has no zones with emission rates higher than what ZERO recommends. The creation of Zero Emission Zones will cause traffic jams and therefore more pollutant gases will be emitted.
