In the spirit of Agenda 21, the plan of action of the United Nations for sustainable development in the 21st century, the Municipal Environmental Plan of Sintra sought to implement in the municipality an integrated development model which respects and promotes environmental and life quality.

The work carried out by Nemus characterized the situation of the SintraMunicipality on a socioeconomic and environmental level and performed the corresponding environmental diagnosis. In order to better understand the causes of environmental degradation in the municipality, the environmental quality and the already adopted minimization measures, a pressure-status-response model was applied. In the definition phase of the strategic intervention vectors, Nemus identified the main problems and environmental potentials and established priority areas of action, according to selected criteria for the definition and hierarchy of priorities.