He studied at the Escola d'Enginyeria Tècnica (Technical Engineering School), where he specialized in Industrial Chemistry.

He was elected for the third and fourth Legislatures (1988 to 1995) as deputy for Barcelona in the Catalan Parliament for the Iniciativa per Catalunya Verds (ICV) party.

[2] As a deputy, Joan Saura promoted several initiatives, such as a rise in the minimum wage, a fight against workplace abuses by employers, same-sex marriage and the Tobin tax.

In June 2002 the party formed an electoral pact with United Left, and Els Verds-Esquerra Ecologista.

In the elections of 2003, his party won 9 seats in the Catalan Parliament and he, after few months of negotiation, became Minister of Institutional Relations and Participation.