Miranda has been awarded the National Environmental Award for 2008 by decision of the Portuguese Federation of Environmental Protection Associations (CPADA – “Confederação Portuguesa das Associações de Defesa do Ambiente”). The award cerimony took place on 28 July at the Mãe D’Água das Amoreiras, a former water reservoir and a Lisbon landmark site.

Commenting on the award, Miranda Chairman Agostinho Pereira de Miranda stated: “We are deeply honoured by this nomination and see it as due recognition for all the pro bono work carried out by Miranda lawyers over the course of two decades in fostering environmental protection and awareness. From its beginning, our law firm has been representing a great number of environmental organisations on a pro bono basis with the aim for better and greater justice for the environment in Portugal". During the acceptance speech, Miranda Chairman paid homage to “the many lawyers, Public Ministry officers, judges, Law professors and other lawyers who have, over the course of the years and in many cases under very difficult circumstances, fought for the defence of the constitutional right to a sound and balanced environment”. Pereira de Miranda strongly criticised the state of legal protection (especially, judicial protection) of the Environment in Portugal and added that “it has been, given the very rare exceptions, a great disappointment”. In his understanding, “Portugal is merely one of the many countries whose legislation proves to be more and more off key when compared to reality and to the great environmental challenges we face. Lawyers are daily faced with legal environmental questions that would never be thought of just a few years ago”. Miranda Chairman concluded with the following message: “The environment is a precious, rare and perishable gift. Although a significant contribution has been made by lawyers throughout the world in the defence of the environment, particularly over the course of the last decades, this battle concerns all professions, all of Humanity".

The National Environmental Award was created in 1999 to honour Portuguese photographer Fernando Pereira, who died on board Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior, while attempting to stop French nuclear tests over the Mururoa atoll in the Pacific. The award seeks to annually recognise a person or organisation making a significant contribution towards the promotion of a balanced and sustained environment.

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See the photos of the event.

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For further information, please contact:
Sofia Justino
+351 21 781 48 69
sofia.justino@mirandalawfirm.com