Portugal’s Sustainable Development Goals Slip as Land Use Strains and Disaster Fatalities Rise

Eurostat data released this week shows that the European Union’s land consumption is outpacing natural regeneration, causing clear setbacks on SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 15 (Life on Land). Between 2018 and 2021, net land occupation rose about 32%, with soil sealing reaching 252.1 m² per inhabitant in 2021. Carbon‑removal by land and forests fell 39.7% since 2009, biodiversity indicators declined sharply, and soil erosion now costs an estimated €1.3 billion annually. The report also notes that the EU’s agricultural imports consume 8.4% of global arable land, pressuring ecosystems in Argentina, Brazil and Ukraine.

Portugal’s own SDG assessment by INE highlights a sharp increase in catastrophe‑related deaths and missing persons – an average annual rise of 39.5% from 2015 to 2024 – and a 43% rise in people directly affected. Emissions have dropped about 3% per year, but marine protection remains at 7% of target area, and marine research funding has fallen. Urban waste generation is up 1.3% yearly while recycling falls 0.4%, and 67.8% of the population reports rarely using public transport, underscoring persistent challenges to the country’s sustainability agenda.