Environmental policy integration and water use development in the Algarve since Portugal's accession to the European Union

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This thesis focuses on Environmental Policy Integration (EPI), a key concept in European Environmental Policy aimed at enhancing environmental considerations in decision-making. Existing research primarily addresses sectoral environmental policies and their integration into other sectors, neglecting the evaluation of physical outcomes from societal and cross-sectoral interactions. This work aims to address these gaps by arguing that EPI fundamentally seeks to transform society's relationship with the environment. To improve EPI's effectiveness, it emphasizes the need to understand the factors and actors that shape the physical environment in the EU. Additionally, it assesses how these dynamics incorporate environmental considerations and their impact on environmental outcomes. Utilizing a framework grounded in critical realism and a strategic-relational approach, the study reconstructs actor-context interactions regarding water use development through a case study in the Algarve, covering the period from Portugal's EU accession in 1986 to early 2004. It investigates the role of environmental considerations in water use development, identifies instances where the environment was inadequately addressed, and explores the reasons behind this oversight. The thesis concludes with a concise set of recommendations for enhancing EPI.