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.
Águas de Portugal, the APA and ERSAR have launched a nationwide awareness campaign on efficient water use, funded by the Fundo Ambiental. It will run in phases across media, social networks and public spaces, with extra emphasis on the most critical regions.
Water utilities have confirmed scheduled supply interruptions between 10 and 16 August in places such as Alpiarça, Ílhavo, Tavira, Vendas Novas, Câmara de Lobos and Vagos, with Vendas Novas facing five days without water. More notices may follow, as many are published only 24 to 48 hours in advance.
Residents of the parish of Mendiga, in Bemposta, complain of frequent interruptions to the public water supply, particularly in summer. One resident describes coming home after a hot day of work with no water to bathe.
A pine marten turned up in central Porto, a surprising record for a species classed as Vulnerable and found naturally only in the far north, in well-preserved native woodland. Researcher Francisco Álvares believes it was moved by people rather than arriving on its own, and points to forest degradation, road deaths and climate change as key threats.
The CPADA has recommended that the Government expand the nature warden corps to around 800 professionals, warning that the ICNF's current 286 are too few to protect classified areas or respond to wildfires. It also calls for an urgent review of a career path frozen for over two decades.
Greenpeace Portugal proposes a moratorium on new tourism and urban developments in the Algarve areas most exposed to erosion and flooding, including parts of the Natura 2000 network, until climate risk assessments are updated. It favours dune and wetland restoration over hard defences, and flags the cliffs, the Vilamoura-Quarteira coast and the Ria Formosa as priority areas.
Applications to the measure converting scrubland into new pastures reopen on 19 August with a budget of around 2.6 million euros. Commons (baldios) management bodies with shrub-covered parcels are now eligible, recognising their role in collective land management and fire prevention.
The Government has approved changes to the legal regime for hunting, aimed at ethics, sustainability, safety and simpler procedures. The Minister for Agriculture and the Sea defended hunting's role in controlling wild boar populations and rejected the idea that it is incompatible with environmental protection.
The Government has approved a package covering energy, environment and natural heritage, headlined by 1.58 billion euros for the national electricity grid. It also changes the waste management regime and waste tax, revises fuel installation licensing and clears the way for the Serra da Freita interpretation centre.
The PDIRD-E 2026-2030 plan channels 1.58 billion euros into the high and medium voltage distribution network, easing connection bottlenecks for new generation, consumption and storage projects. For households it should mean steadier supply and infrastructure ready for electric mobility and self-consumption.
ZERO has asked the regulator ERSE to reject investments in the 2027-2031 gas distribution plan that would expand infrastructure and win new consumers, arguing the 350.5 million euro plan clashes with EU electrification and decarbonisation goals. It would rather see money go to safety, methane leak reduction, digitalisation and biomethane where electrification is not viable.
Quercus warns that the environmental study for the 1,098-hectare Parque Eólico do Sudoeste in Santiago do Cacém, intended to power the Sines data centre, underestimates its impacts. The association questions the real benefits for consumers and local communities and notes an error suggesting text was hastily copied from a different, solar project.
The municipality of Mogadouro has registered its opposition in the public consultation on the environmental impact study for the Cereiro solar plant in Travanca. It says the area already carries heavy energy infrastructure and calls for stricter assessment of cumulative impacts and a fairer spread of the burden across the country.
REN data show record summer electricity consumption, driven by cooling and industrial electrification. Youdera suggests five approaches for businesses: on-site generation and storage, smart LED lighting, cutting industrial standby, efficient cooling and predictive thermal management.
The installation committee of the new Agência de Geologia e Energia may now authorise spending of up to 3.74 million euros during its set-up phase. The AGE brings together the DGEG, LNEG, EDM, EDMI and some ADENE functions, and began operating in June 2026.
LIPOR and VivaLab have launched "Coisas à Mão", a tool-lending library at Tinker City in Porto for small repairs, DIY, gardening and maintenance. Users register online and collect and return tools in person, sparing them from buying kit they would use once or twice.
Setúbal's municipal services have opened a 490,000 euro tender for two heavy electric vehicles to collect biowaste, funded through the Fundo Ambiental. They will reinforce the Setúbal Com.posto scheme, which since 2021 has diverted over 12,000 tonnes of biowaste with more than 20,000 participating households.
A public vote chose sand and blue for the bikes of Loulé's future VELA sharing scheme. The system will have 490 bikes, 86 stations and 1,032 docks, starting in Almancil, Quarteira, São Clemente and São Sebastião, co-funded by Algarve 2030 and the EU.
A former nursery school in Cuba, Alentejo, has been turned into a demonstrator for climate adaptation, urban regeneration and sustainable water management under the European Urwan project. The council, the Make it Better association and Amcal hope the lessons can be replicated in other public and private buildings.
Braga's deputy mayor says the Ecovia do Cávado design is finished, but the council is still working through expropriations involving almost 300 landowners. A change to the Expropriation Code could help, though the process may still require a double declaration of public interest.
The APA has started a 170,000 euro upgrade of the floating jetty at the mouth of the River Minho, in Caminha, including dredging and extending the quay. The aim is safer, better conditions for rescue services working there, with disruption kept to a minimum during the bathing season.
The revised regional programme for integrated rural fire management in the Algarve is open to public consultation for 30 working days from 6 August. Citizens can examine documents on fuel break networks, water points and fire watch, and contribute via the Participa portal or in writing to CCDR Algarve.
Leiria council is setting up four temporary yards for woody material from forest clearing, under the integrated landscape management operation. They will also be open to private individuals, but with supervision — free or unauthorised dumping will not be allowed.
The Pombal parish council has launched EcoGeração Pombal, part of the national youth volunteering programme for nature and forests, calling on 16 to 21 year-olds to clear invasive species at the Etno Parque do Cotrofe between 10 August and 12 September. Participants receive a daily allowance, insurance, training, materials and IPDJ certification.
The Coimbra intermunicipal community has condemned repeated failures by ERSUC, with overflowing containers and councils stepping in to do the operator's job. Mealhada reports no glass collection since May, and the intermunicipal council will send a formal complaint demanding urgent measures.
Environment Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho says the most urgent repairs to beaches damaged by the January and February storms were completed before the bathing season, citing Quarteira and Costa da Caparica. An APA report finds 41% of monitored beaches have regained their average width and sediment volume, with further works planned to 2028 using European funds.
On 26 September the Boom Festival holds its first Dia da Boomland at Herdade da Granja in Idanha-a-Nova, free to enter, with nature walks, permanent art, concerts, workshops and a Michelin-starred chef's menu. It marks a decade since the property was acquired and is intended to become an annual gathering with local communities.
Between 27 and 30 August, Odemira runs another edition of "Experiências no Mira, Ao Natural é Melhor", with canoeing, bodyboarding, surfing, boat trips and stand-up paddle. Activities take place along the riverside, at the Santa Clara reservoir and on the Carvalhal and Zambujeira do Mar beaches, with places limited and prior registration required.
Câmara de Lobos council has conditionally approved the urban planning operation for Madeira SkyPark, a scheme of cable cars, adventure park, nature interpretation centre and zipline between Curral das Freiras and Boca da Corrida. The developer calls it a significant milestone and pledges to meet the conditions set by the competent authorities.
A short read every morning — what's happening across sustainable Portugal.
