When publishing the sector's accounts, the INE pointed out that the Gross Added Value of environmental goods and services represented 3.9% of the Portuguese economy's GVA that year.

According to INE, the sector represented 4.0% of employment in the Portuguese economy in 2022.

“Energy resource management activities accounted for more than half (52.4%) of the GVA in this sector, notably the economy and management of heat and energy, which now includes the construction and renovation of buildings with almost zero energy”, highlighted the INE.

In 2021, the last year with information available for the European Union, Portugal maintained fifth place among the Member States with the highest share of exports of environmental goods and services in the national total (4.9%).

The INE warned of the need for caution in comparisons, taking into account that new methodologies were introduced in the analysis of the most recent data.

According to the tables presented, the weight of the production of environmental goods and services in the Portuguese economy increased from 5.1% in 2021 to 5.6% in 2022, one of the main indicators highlighted by INE in the publication.

In terms of exports, the weight of this sector in the economy increased from 4.9% (2021) to 4.3% (2022).

European guidelines require the construction of new buildings to comply with certain legislative standards only from the beginning of 2021. “In addition, national information sources have limitations in 2021, covering only the second half of the year”, highlighted the INE, in the document.

In 2022, energy resources management was the most relevant domain, according to INE. This area contributed "more than half of the production (57.9%), GVA (52.4%), exports (54.4%) and employment (52.3%) of the sector”.