Taking access to justice seriously: diffuse interests and actio popularis. Why not?

The authors of this contribution explain the Portuguese system of actio popularis: according to the authors the most favourable of all with regard to locus standi in environmental matters. They argue that the dichotomy between public and private environmental damage underlying the construction of the right of access to justice is not an accurate representation of the real life social relations concerning the environment. This is where the concept of diffuse interests, adopted in Portuguese constitutional law comes in.