Collaboration and Conflict: The Complex Relationship Between Activist Groups and Political Parties in Portugal’s Climate Movement

Аннотация

This study explores the complex relationship between activist groups and political parties in shaping COPYRIGHT the climate movement in Portugal. Through a © 2025 Original content from this work may be used under the terms combination of qualitative methods, including in-depth of the creative commons attributes 4.0 License. interviews with key stakeholders from environmental organizations, political parties, and governmental institutions, this research examines the dynamics of resistance and collaboration that characterize the climate activism landscape in the country. While political parties have provided institutional frameworks for environmental policies, activist groups have consistently challenged governmental inertia and pushed for more radical climate action. The findings reveal that the relationship between these two groups is often characterized by tension and compromise, but also synergy in certain instances, particularly in the context of youth-led movements like Fridays for Future. The paper discusses how these dynamics impact the effectiveness of the Portuguese climate movement in influencing national policy and contributing to international climate advocacy. Keywords: Climate Movement, Activist Groups, Political Parties, Portugal, Resistance, Collaboration, Environmental Policy, Youth Movements, Political Activism, Climate Action, Fridays for Future, Environmental Justice. Introduction: The Portuguese climate movement has evolved over the past few decades, driven by growing concerns over climate change, environmental degradation, and the urgent need for global action. In The American Journal of Political Science Law and Criminology 14 https://www.theamericanjournals.com/index.php/tajpslc The American Journal of Political Science Law and Criminology Portugal, climate activism has been shaped by a government take stronger measures to reduce combination of grassroots movements and greenhouse gas emissions, transition to renewable institutional politics, with activist groups often clashing energy, and prioritize environmental justice. These with political parties over the pace and scope of organizations often see themselves as disruptive actors climate action. On the one hand, activists push for in the political process, challenging the status quo and more ambitious, radical policies and demand pushing for urgent and radical climate action. For them, accountability from the political establishment. On the the incremental changes offered by political parties are other hand, political parties have the responsibility to seen as insufficient to meet the scale of the crisis. As craft policy solutions that balance economic, social, such, these groups often frame their activism in terms and environmental concerns, often leading to of moral urgency, calling for swift policy changes that negotiations that dilute more aggressive demands prioritize long-term sustainability over short-term from activists. economic concerns. The central research question guiding this study is: On the other side, political parties in Portugal, How do the relationships between activist groups and particularly those aligned with the Socialist Party (PS) political parties influence the direction and and Bloco de Esquerda (BE), have taken steps to effectiveness of the Portuguese climate movement? integrate climate change into their platforms. The This study focuses on understanding both the Portuguese government, under the leadership of the PS, resistance faced by activist groups in their attempts to has made significant strides in adopting climate policies push for transformative climate policies, as well as the that aim to meet European Union (EU) climate targets, collaborative efforts that emerge between activists such as achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. Political and political parties in pushing forward common leaders have promoted measures such as investment in climate agendas. green technologies, incentives for renewable energy production, and regulations aimed at reducing This relationship is further complicated by the emissions from transportation and industry. However, intersection of youth-led movements (such as Fridays despite these policy advancements, political parties for Future) with the traditional environmental often find themselves constrained by economic advocacy structures. Understanding the role of youth realities, party politics, and competing national movements and their capacity to influence political priorities. This results in compromises that activists view parties is critical for future climate action strategies in as too slow or weak, particularly when it comes to issues Portugal. like fossil fuel dependence and the protection of jobs in The climate crisis has become one of the most pressing carbon-intensive industries. issues of the 21st century, with global movements The relationship between activist groups and political emerging to demand immediate and transformative parties in Portugal’s climate