A calm midsummer Saturday across sustainable Portugal, with festivals to enjoy, energy debates to ponder, and water worries in the south.
ZERO is urging the government to halt plans for two new dams on Guadiana tributaries near Beja and Mertola, calling them ill-suited to a drier future. The association wants the existing Alqueva scheme independently reassessed first.
A Chinese company wants to install over 2.1 million solar panels and storage across Portel and Vidigueira in the Alentejo. Several mayors and residents are pushing back, wary of the impact on farmland and natural areas.
At the Cherry Festival in Jardim da Serra, the JPP warned that trees are drying out while the regional lab fails to carry out soil and disease analyses. They are calling for restored capacity and crop monitoring.
The European Commission estimates that better insulation and windows could save households up to 900 euros a year, with most EU buildings still performing poorly. Portugal has missed the deadline to transpose the relevant directive.
Portugal's new Circular Economy Action Plan is welcomed as a step forward, but an expert warns success depends on real implementation, fewer bureaucratic hurdles and concrete incentives. Circularity rates remain below target.
Chega has proposed extending a 20 million euro farmer support package to the Azores and Madeira, arguing island producers face the same difficulties plus the costs of insularity. The minister has acknowledged the oversight.
The Alto Douro Vinhateiro is marking 25 years as a UNESCO World Heritage Site with events running until 2027, culminating in a strategic 'Green Book' for the region's future. Mario Ferreira leads the celebrations.
The Algarve International Circuit earned the FIA's top three-star environmental certification, helped by a 2,000-panel solar community and sustainable event management. Formula 1 returns there in 2027 and 2028.
A Brazilian fund focused solely on the blue economy plans a joint cluster with Portugal to share knowledge and capital. It is investing across marine biotech, aquaculture, algae and ocean robotics.
Two Madeira candidates reached the finals of the AHRESP awards but neither won, with Funchal's food strategy and the Balancal estate losing to Leiria and Braga. It was a record edition with around 400 entries.
The Handsome Festival returns with 17 free cultural experiences across 12 Algarve municipalities, from cheesemaking to beekeeping. Organisers hope local culture can ease tourism seasonality and bring communities together.
The Escola Ciencia Viva festival in Tavira invites students to present their year's projects as science communicators, with biodiversity walks and geocaching in the afternoon. The free event aims to nurture environmental awareness.
A short read every morning — what's happening across sustainable Portugal.
