World canyoning gathering in the Minho
The Vallis RIC 2026 event drew 405 participants from 25 countries to the Montanhas Magicas region for five days of descents and workshops. Organisers framed it as a boost for sustainable nature tourism.
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Pulse
29 June 2026
A calm look at sustainable Portugal today, from canyoning in the northern mountains to big conversations about energy, funding and how we eat.
Cherries, climate and zero-waste farming
A farming programme looks at the demanding world of cherry growing and a cross-border Portugal-Spain project in Fundao seeking to replace synthetic pesticides. It closes with the National Agriculture Fair, focused this year on small fruits.
Lisbon Sustainability Week returns
From 30 June to 2 July, more than 50 leaders, academics and investors gather in Lisbon to debate sustainable investment, biodiversity and climate neutrality, including a Nobel laureate. The aim is to make Lisbon a European hub for sustainability.
Rethinking the nuclear question
Bruno Goncalves argues Portugal's nuclear debate is wrongly framed: the real question is whether the country can afford to stay out of Europe's small modular reactor value chain through research and engineering. He sees the main obstacle as institutional, not technical.
126 million for blue economy and green transition
Portugal will receive 126.3 million euros through the new EEA Grants cycle, funded with Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein, for blue economy, green transition and social projects. The programme launches on 2 July in Lisbon.
Food literacy with a new podcast
Medis and the Portuguese Society for Health Literacy launched 'Por falar em comida', a podcast with ten specialists on economical, sustainable and healthy eating. Poor nutrition is the leading disease risk factor in Portugal.
Porto Santo's desalination myth, clarified
Often called one of the world's first desalination plants, the Porto Santo unit was actually preceded by 19th-century facilities. Its true distinction is being among the first to use reverse osmosis, and the first on European soil.
A new rural home model for Central Portugal
Rural Properties is piloting a bioclimatic wooden-frame home in Pedrogao Grande, around 200,000 euros, offering energy-efficient rural living without the risks of renovation. If it works, the model could spread across inland Central Portugal.
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