ZERO says coastal plan ignores river sediment loss at source

Environmental association ZERO has criticised Portugal's Coastal Resilience Action Programme 2040 (PARL 2040), a €1.4 billion plan, for failing to address the loss of sediment transport from river basins to the coast, one of the main causes of coastal erosion. Of 1,063 planned measures, only six studies, worth 0.16% of the budget, target river basins, while beach nourishment alone accounts for €346 million. ZERO also criticised the plan's approval without public consultation and its heavy focus on physical coastal interventions rather than restoring sediment flow, urging dedicated funding and clear targets for sediment recovery.