Started in 2003, the project was initially promoted by LIPOR - Serviço Intermunicipalizado de Gestão de Resíduos do Grande Porto (Intermunicipal Waste Management Service of Greater Porto) and supported by all the municipalities in Greater Porto (Espinho, Gondomar, Maia, Matosinhos, Porto, Póvoa de Varzim, Valongo, Vila do Conde and Vila Nova de Gaia). Lipor was assisted in the project's design, planning and implementation by an external technical team from the Grupo de Estudos Ambientais (Environmental Studies Group) from the Escola Superior de Biotecnologia da Universidade Católica Portuguesa.

The Sustainable Future Action Plan - Stage 1, which culminated three years of continuous work of public participation and technical component, was concluded in 2006.

In 2007, the Porto Metropolitan Area hosted the “Sustainable Future” project, extending it to the remaining seven municipalities of the AMP: Arouca, Oliveira de Azeméis, Santa Maria da Feira, Santo Tirso, S. João da Madeira, Trofa and Vale de Cambra. This stage of the project, Phase 2, was concluded in 2009.

Over 5,500 citizens and 320 entities were involved in the process, throughout the two work stages.

This public participation process led to a Vision of Future:

" A region with clean rivers and streams, in which water is used efficiently. A region with more green spaces, natural vegetation and protected areas. A region with mobility for all, where it is easy to get around by public transport, walking and cycling. A region that invests in education for sustainability at a higher level. A region with greater cooperation between entities and citizen participation, investing in quality of life.”

To operate this Vision, an Action Plan was outlined, based on four priority themes:

• Water

• Mobility and Air Quality

• Regional Planning, Green Spaces and Natural Areas

• Education for Sustainability

The final reports on Phase 2 of this project, concluded in 2009, can be consulted here.

(Full texts available in Portuguese)