Unidos em Defesa de Covas do Barroso

Unidos em Defesa de Covas do Barroso (UDCB) is a grassroots local association based in Covas do Barroso, in the Barroso region of northeastern Portugal (Trás-os-Montes). Founded to protect the community from the threats posed by large-scale lithium mining projects, the association champions the environment, local heritage, and the well-being of its residents under the rallying cry 'Não à Mina, Sim à Vida!' (No to the Mine, Yes to Life!). The UDCB operates according to the principles of communitarianism, civic participation, and collective self-determination — values deeply rooted in the traditional community governance structures of the Barroso region, which has been recognised by the FAO as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). The association actively monitors and responds to regulatory processes, issuing public communications when environmental impact assessments are not properly respected, and denouncing what it sees as political pressure to classify lithium projects as strategic national interests. Covas do Barroso sits atop one of Europe's largest lithium deposits, making it a flashpoint in the debate between industrial green-energy supply chains and local community rights. The UDCB argues that the extraction of lithium comes at an unacceptable cost to the landscape, water sources, agricultural traditions, and social fabric of the area. The association serves as a platform for residents to organise, speak collectively, and engage with legal, environmental, and political processes. Through communications, advocacy, and civic mobilisation, UDCB represents a model of community resilience and environmental justice, asserting the right of local populations to determine their own future and protect their land.