Portugal's biggest bat shelter found at Alqueva
An old water mine near Alqueva holds a colony of over 10,000 greater mouse-eared bats, the most important national shelter for the species. These bats help control agricultural pests naturally.
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Seven days of the Pulse, curated into one weekly read.
2 July 2026
Happy July! Today's Pulse brings good news for wildlife, cleaner energy milestones, and plenty of community-scale steps toward a more sustainable Portugal.
Rare snails brought back on the Desertas
The Help Desertas Snails project recovered four endemic snail species once thought extinct, through captive breeding and reintroduction. The piece also reflects on balancing grazing with conservation in Madeira's hills.
Gull chicks arrive at Santo André rescue centre
Spring and summer bring a rise in young yellow-legged gulls to the CRASSA centre, which is currently caring for 10 juveniles until they can return to the wild.
Portugal ranks second in EU for renewable electricity
Eurostat data shows 82.9% of Portugal's electricity came from renewables in early 2026, second only to Denmark, driven largely by hydropower.
Renova invests 11M in decarbonisation
A new biomass plant at Renova's Torres Novas factory replaces natural gas for thermal energy, cutting scope 1 and 2 emissions to less than half of 2020 levels.
One million euros for smart water in Alentejo
The Alentejo 2030 programme opened a call to fund sustainable water management and monitoring projects, helping the region face scarcity and climate change.
Water efficiency conference in Sousel
Águas do Alto Alentejo hosts its annual conference on water efficiency and circular economy, including a case study on biomethane production.
Cantanhede secures EU funds for waste
The municipal company Inova won 1.25 million euros in EU funds for water and waste projects, including an electric vehicle to collect biowaste.
Ponto Verde spotlights recycling innovation
Marking 30 years, Sociedade Ponto Verde launched a 12-episode webseries on packaging recycling innovation, from AI sorting to smart bins.
Portimão begins 28 affordable homes
Construction has started on 28 supported-rent homes in Bairro do Pontal, funded by the PRR, including a community centre to expand affordable housing.
Ten Blue Flags for Loulé beaches
Loulé raised the Blue Flag on ten beaches and kept the Accessible Beach award in eight areas, recognising environmental quality and safety.
Cities join Inova Juntos network
AMAL and four municipalities formalised the Inova Juntos Portugal network to share innovative practices in climate action, mobility and urban sustainability.
Torres Novas rejects biomethane site
The municipal assembly unanimously opposed the chosen Árgea location for a biomethane plant, citing water, traffic and quality-of-life concerns, while backing biomethane in principle.
Quercus challenges Curral das Freiras cable car
Quercus-Madeira filed an administrative challenge against the cable car project, arguing the risk to the protected Madeira petrel was not ruled out.
Voluntary carbon market to add forest projects
The Portuguese voluntary carbon market is set to expand to reforestation and improved forest management, with blue carbon and nature credits also in view.
Matosinhos refinery site eyed for new district
A PwC study sees the former refinery land in Leça da Palmeira as a major urban regeneration opportunity for a district of 19,000 residents and 30,000 students.
Beyond the perfect carrot
An essay questions our obsession with the looks of fruit and veg, arguing that taste, origin and fairness to farmers should matter more than visual perfection.
Training pack for young farmers
AGROBIO launched its 2026 training pack in organic and sustainable farming, with e-learning options open until mid-July.
Recent
- Good morning. Acorns win a place on Europe's table, Évora finds a clever use for walnut shells, and Portugal brings farmers, soils and adaptation to the talks at COP31.
- Good morning. A busy day across Portugal: native breeds get their first national day, COP31 is under way in Antalya, and there are plenty of small, local good deeds to round things off.
- A blustery Monday, with Storm Bruna passing through, but plenty to explore: a lunch deep underground, a protected reef cleared of illegal hooks and a country that keeps choosing the train.
- Good morning. Today brings walnut shells in greenhouses, wolves and wardens, new ways to travel and a quiet sanctuary near Loulé.
- Good morning. Today brings wildcats in the Côa Valley, prize-winning gardens and acorns on the menu, alongside plenty of steady work on water, energy and housing across the country.
- Good morning. Today brings wolves near a proposed wind farm, controlled burns in the Minho, new chargers on the motorway and a few small, hopeful things to finish with.
- Good morning. Today's Pulse takes us from birds in Lisbon's cemeteries to frost-hardy carob trees, with water, homes and a few small kindnesses along the way.
- Good morning. Today brings new protected landscapes, clever ideas for water and waste, and plenty of autumn flavours to enjoy across the country.
- Good morning. Today brings dinosaur footprints, replanted hillsides and a lively debate about water, with plenty of small, hopeful moments along the way.
- Good morning. A dry autumn, a lagoon with a long memory and an owl back in the wild: here is what is moving in sustainable Portugal today.