Decarbonization of Mobility in Inland and Sensitive Coastal Areas of the Centre Region of Portugal

This paper aims to raise awareness about the decarbonization process and to estimate the potential to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, especially carbon dioxide, and other pollutants from tourist, leisure, and sports activities in the sensitive inland and coastal areas in central Portugal (Ria de Aveiro, Mondego Estuary, and Peniche). A specific objective was the characterization of mobility in inland and coastal waters for existing tourism, leisure, and sports activities. To achieve this, we gathered data about leisure boats through interviews with different entities. Then, emissions (NO x , NH 3 , PM10, and CO 2 ) were calculated using the EMEP/EEA Air Pollutant Emission Inventory Guidebook 2019 method, considered to be the European reference. CO 2 emissions were then assessed for alternative scenarios involving the use of biofuels (B15 and E10), and the electrification of boats using reduction emissions factors from RED II and emission factors from an energy provider. This research demonstrated that replacing fossil fuels with B15 and E10 in recreational boats represents an effective strategy for reducing CO 2 emissions in the short term (reductions of 334.5 t (tonnes) CO 2 and 73.2 t CO 2 , respectively). A more complex solution would be to replace combustion engines with electric engines on touristic boats with off-board engines that operate for extended periods, which would result in a significant reduction in CO 2 emissions (a reduction of 104 t CO 2 in the analyzed cases).