ABAE – Associação Bandeira Azul da Europa
ABAAE (Associação Bandeira Azul de Ambiente e Educação) is a national non-profit environmental NGO. It runs recognised programmes such as Blue Flag, Eco-Schools, Green Key and ECOXXI to promote environmental education and sustainable practices across Portugal.
ABAAE manages the Blue Flag Programme for beaches and marinas in Portugal, along with several other long-running certification and education programmes. Its full name is Associação Bandeira Azul de Ambiente e Educação, but it is still commonly known by its historic name, ABAE (Associação Bandeira Azul da Europa). It's a Portuguese non-governmental environmental organisation (ONGA) whose focus is environmental education for sustainability. In Portugal it is the national operator for the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), an international network active in more than 60 countries.
The programmes it manages include:
- Blue Flag, for beaches and marinas
- Eco-Schools
- Green Key, for tourism establishments
- ECOXXI, for municipalities
- Eco-Freguesias XXI, for parishes
- FEE EcoCampus, for higher education institutions
- Jovens Repórteres para o Ambiente, which trains young people as environmental reporters at events such as Rock in Rio
So far these programmes have certified over 1,700 Eco-Schools, more than 380 Blue Flags, over 320 Green Key establishments and 52 ECOXXI municipalities.
Throughout the year the association works with schools, municipalities, businesses and local communities, running workshops, award ceremonies and awareness sessions. It also manages related environmental projects and supports environmental literacy campaigns with public and private partners. A General Assembly, a Board of Directors and a Fiscal Council govern ABAAE, and a technical team coordinates each national programme.
Funding comes partly from the voluntary consignment of IRS (income tax), and also from membership fees and partnerships. ABAAE is still extending its reach. It recently hosted Green Key certification ceremonies in Madeira and held clarification sessions on the Eco-Freguesias XXI programme for municipalities such as Sintra.
Our Goal
To promote environmental education for sustainability across Portugal, and to manage recognition programmes that reward good environmental practices in schools, municipalities, tourism establishments and communities.
Our Wishes
The association encourages schools, municipalities, businesses and citizens to join its certification programmes. It also asks them to support its work through the IRS income tax consignment and to take part in its educational and environmental initiatives.
