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Parliamentary Group
DRAFT RESOLUTION NO. 403 /XI/2.
RECOMMENDS SUPPORT FOR THE APPLICATION OF ARRÁBIDA A
WORLD HERITAGE OF UNESCO
The recognition of the importance and richness of the Arrábida dates back many decades,
having motivated in 1976 a the creation of the Natural Park of the Arrábida to safeguard and
valuing environmental, landscape, cultural and historical heritage there, so
how the integration of this in various international conservation networks, such as the Network
European of European Biogenetics Reserves, the CORINE biotypes and the Natura 2000 Network.
The Serra da Arrábida and the surrounding area have an orography of their own and are situated
in a coastal transition zone between the influences of Atlantic and Mediterranean origin,
by giving them high diversity and unique characteristics at the global level,
particularly in terms of flora, fauna, geology, geomorphology and quality
landscaped. In addition, the human occupation of the territory over the centuries has built
a singular cultural and immaterial heritage that matters to value.
Since the importance of the terrestrial and marine fauna and flora that create an important
ecosystem to be preserved, from existing landscape and landscape wealth systems, up to the
historical and cultural relevance assumed over the centuries, the Arrábida acquires a
outstanding value. It was not by chance that the Arrábida Portinho was considered one of the
seven natural wonders of Portugal, in the category Praches and Falésias, in 2010.
It was their richness and uniqueness that allowed the inclusion of the well "Arrábida" since 2004
in the Indicative List of UNESCO. From then on have been developed steps to se
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forward with your candidacy for the World Heritage of Humanity, taking into account
their natural and cultural worthies.
An executive committee has been constituted, composed of the Association of Municipalities of the
Region of Setúbal and the Institute for Conservation of Nature and Biodiversity (ICNB),
supported by a technical committee and a follow-up committee, involving
various institutions and entities, with the purpose of presenting with fundamentals
strong and structured the application to UNESCO.
This application is faced, however, with some difficulties, as there are
various threats in the Arrábida that may jeopardize the application, taking into account
the high level of requirement of the UNESCO experts. It is the case of the disordered construction
in various areas of the Natural Park, from the existence of eleven active quarries that are
authentic craters that radically transform the landscape and have negative impactes
in the ecosystems and geological stability, of the Secil cement, whose lifespan was
prolonged by at least another 20 years with the approval of the planning plan
in 2005.
It is recalled that last April, it was the managing director of the department of management of
classified areas of the Lisbon and west of the ICNB that pointed out responsibilities to the
Secil for an eventual " not approval of the application " mixed Serra a Heritage
World, due to the co-incineration of hazardous industrial waste and once that " the
international experts will assess the whole area covered ".
The need to safeguard the exceptional characteristics of the Arrábida and to respect the
traditional and sustainable activities of their populations, important for wealth
natural and cultural of the Park and counteract the human abandonment that occurs, was what
motivated the presentation by the Left Bloc of a legislative initiative for the
review of the Arrábida Natural Park planning plan, with a view to putting
a brake on the main pressures and threats that continue to destroy the Arrábida and
may put into question the success of the World Heritage application.
Ensuring the approval of the application of the Arrábida the UNESCO World Heritage Site must
mobilize society and public powers, taking into account the importance that this
classification assumes for the development of the region, the promotion of tourism and
natural and cultural values of the country abroad, the strengthening of environmental protection and
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defense of the natural and cultural heritage of the Arrábida, countering the threats that today
put themselves.
In this way, the Left Bloc proposes that the Assembly of the Republic and the Government
express their support for the candidacy of the Arrábida the Unesco World Heritage Site,
as well as are assured all the logistical and financial means necessary for the
realization of the application and to respond to the main threats or difficulties
that could endanger their approval by UNESCO and be developed
promotional actions and public disclosure of this application.
Thus, under the applicable constitutional and regimental provisions, the Group
MP from the Left Bloc proposes to the Assembly of the Republic that:
1. Manifests your support for the candidacy of the Arrábida the World Heritage Site of the
UNESCO;
2. Recomende to the Government that:
a. Manifests its public support for the candidacy of Arrábida to Heritage
World of UNESCO;
b. Ensure all the logistical and financial means necessary for the
concretization of the application and to respond to the main threats or
difficulties that could endanger their approval by UNESCO;
c. Develop actions for promotion, dissemination and public awareness of the
candidacy of the Arrábida the UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Palace of Saint Benedict, February 16, 2011.
The Deputies and the Deputies of the Left Bloc,