A first field guide to Portugal's terrapins
Palombar released the country's first field guide covering all 11 terrapin species, from the two natives to nine invasive newcomers.
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Seven days of the Pulse, curated into one weekly read.
Pulse
24 July 2026
Bom dia! Today's Pulse leans into nature's quiet lessons, coastal warnings and a wave of clever ideas turning waste into worth across Portugal.
Sintra tadpoles reveal limits of adaptation
A study on common toad tadpoles shows they can tweak their diet to cope with warmer water, but this flexibility has clear limits.
Traps curb Asian hornets in Vinhais
Vinhais expanded to 550 traps and caught around 6,000 queens this spring, sharply reducing nests and supporting local beekeeping.
A quarter of Portugal's coast is retreating
Greenpeace warns that about 25% of the mainland coast is being lost to rising seas, urging urgent action and a halt to building in vulnerable areas.
Wildfire vulnerability still unresolved
Quercus notes that despite fewer ignitions, 271,000 hectares burned in 2025, driven by rural abandonment and unmanaged fuel loads.
Forest funds at risk over delays
ZERO and Centro PINUS warn that PEPAC forestry support decisions are stuck for nearly a year, risking the loss of European funds.
Algarve landfills near their limit
ALGAR warns its two landfills serving 16 municipalities could run out of capacity from 2027, pressured by population growth and tourism.
Hydrogen corridor moves forward
The BarMar undersea pipeline linking the Iberian Peninsula to central Europe entered detailed engineering, with REN in the consortium and 2032 in sight.
More solar for Lever water plant
Águas do Douro e Paiva is investing nearly a million euros to boost solar self-consumption by 140% at its Lever treatment plant.
Egg white becomes food packaging
The Clara-Value project turns egg white, a by-product of Aveiro's ovos moles, into sustainable bio-based food packaging.
Electronics get a second life
Fnac Darty's Restart programme refurbishes and resells electronics, mainly iPhones, with a warranty, aiming to expand across Europe.
New EU packaging rules test the sector
The EU's PPWR will require swapping plastics for more sustainable options like recycled card, reshaping habits and business models.
Braval's 20-million-euro waste plan
Braval presented a roughly 20-million-euro investment plan for 2026-2027, including a new landfill cell, leachate treatment and a solar park.
Use the bulky-waste service properly
Porto de Mós urges residents to book the free bulky-waste collection instead of dumping items, which harms the environment and public space.
A Patron for the Ocean Decade
President António José Seguro accepted UNESCO's role as Patron of the Ocean Decade, highlighting five priorities for maritime cooperation.
Towards a national soil strategy
The DGADR joined the Science and Innovation 2026 meeting, helping shape a national soil strategy on organic matter, erosion and biodiversity.
Bringing the Azores to Europe
MEP Paulo do Nascimento Cabral hailed a European Parliament mission to the Azores, defending a stronger POSEI ahead of CAP negotiations.
Safer pesticide use in Porto Santo
Twenty-seven farmers completed training on safe application of plant protection products, promoting sustainable practices in Porto Santo.
'Lighthouse Forests' for resilience
Experts propose Lighthouse Forests to test Europe's resilience to pests and diseases through adaptive management and early monitoring.
A solidarity food festival in Boliqueime
The Boliqueime Food Festival adds a charity drive collecting caps and corks to help fund treatments for Martim, a child with cerebral palsy.
Braga renews its Green Key
Braga's Youth Centre earned the international Green Key certification for a fifth year, reinforcing the city as a sustainable destination.
Broken ceramics become jewellery
History teacher Isaura Marques reuses broken ceramic pieces to craft handmade jewellery inspired by Portuguese tradition, shown at Condeixa's festivities.
Calling for courage in Porto
A critique of Porto's new mobility plan argues its 70 measures fall short by not reducing the space given to cars.
Rethinking streets in Guimarães
An exhibition in Guimarães will close the STREET project, showcasing a diagnostic tool and the sustainable redesign of nine Portuguese streets.
Mogadouro solar plant under review
The Cereiro solar plant near Mogadouro is in public consultation, with critics arguing the deadline is too short and lacked prior engagement.
Gulbenkian funds green NGOs
The Gulbenkian Foundation opened a new round of core funding for environmental NGOs working on nature conservation, open until September 7.
Spotlight on social agri-food projects
Odiana's AGROSOCIAL campaign showcases social economy examples across the Algarve and Andalusia and calls for new initiatives to join its catalogue.
New vocational courses in Condeixa
The INTEP vocational institute promoted new courses at Expo Condeixa, announcing a new phase of growth and closer ties to the community.
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A short read every morning — what's happening across sustainable Portugal.
Recent
- Good morning. Today the wild side of Portugal takes the lead — a heavy bird, a night-flying moth and a lithium mine that keeps dividing a valley — before we settle into markets, mid-August fairs and one wooden lunchbox that goes straight into the oven.
- Bom dia. Today's Pulse leans towards land and water: fire prevention on the commons, a contested farm in the Alentejo, solar plans weighed against habitats, and a good handful of gentler things to do before the summer slips away.
- Good morning. Today the Gerês keeps the country talking, solar quietly takes the lead in our electricity mix, and there is honey, wheat and a sea hare along the way.
- Good morning. Today's Pulse looks at wolves and monk seals, cork festivals and shared bicycles, plus a solar eclipse that will briefly dim the country's panels.
- Good morning. Today's Pulse looks at nature restoration promises waiting to be kept, two islands testing what their technology and their vines can do, and new homes opening their doors from the Azores to Celorico de Basto.
- Good morning. Today's Pulse leans towards water and waste: a record-dry July, urgent repairs beneath Leiria, and a region rethinking where its rubbish goes.
- Good morning. Today's Pulse is shaped by water — a dry July, planned cuts and new investment — alongside grape growers making their voices heard, and small community projects quietly showing what circular living can look like.
- Good morning. Today's Pulse takes in wildfire prevention and water use, a giant frog made of rubbish in Ponte de Lima, salt marshes turned into laboratories, and quiet steps towards cleaner transport across the country.
- Good morning. Today's Pulse leans towards water, wildfire and wild things: protection plans for six Azorean islands, rabbits returning to the Côa, and a steady drumbeat of energy and water investment across the country.
- Bom dia. Today's Pulse runs from estuary protection and reservoir levels to a deposit-return deadline that lands next week, with a few small delights along the way.