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19 August 2026

Good morning. Today we travel from Serra da Estrela sheep tracks to Atlantic waters running five degrees too warm, with plenty of quiet local ingenuity in between.

Nature and the wild

Rescued 300kg leatherback turtle's recovery published as scientific case study

A scientific paper published in Chelonian Conservation and Biology documents the rehabilitation of Quinas, an adult leatherback turtle found entangled in fishing gear off the Algarve coast in June 2019. Over 48 days, a multidisciplinary team at Zoomarine's Porto d'Abrigo monitored the roughly 300kg animal daily before fitting it with a satellite tracker and releasing it. It then swam 1,283km towards the Canary Islands in 20 days, confirming normal migratory behaviour. The case is now informing the ongoing rehabilitation of Molly, a loggerhead turtle from Ireland.

AlgarveEcosystems & BiodiversityRead more at Green Savers ↗

13 black vulture chicks fitted with GPS trackers in Portugal

The LIFE Aegypius Return project tagged 13 black vulture chicks in 2026 at breeding colonies in the Douro Internacional, Tejo Internacional, Herdade da Contenda and Vidigueira/Portel, bringing the total monitored since 2023 to 56. Field teams fitted GPS/GSM transmitters, rings and collected blood, feather and swab samples for scientific study, despite heatwaves that made the July fieldwork more demanding. The tracking data helps researchers understand chick movements, feeding and roosting areas, and health status, and has also informed technical opinions on renewable energy projects to reduce impacts on the species.

AlentejoEcosystems & BiodiversityRead more at LPN ↗

Sea temperatures off Iberia hit five degrees above normal

Scientists say sea temperatures around the Iberian Peninsula were up to five degrees above normal in 2026, part of an exceptional warming trend affecting seas across Europe. They attribute the anomaly mainly to human activity, particularly the burning of fossil fuels such as oil and gas. The finding adds to growing evidence of marine heatwaves intensifying in European waters, with implications for marine ecosystems, fisheries and coastal climate patterns.

Ecosystems & BiodiversityRead more at Público ↗

Needs attention

Botanical society challenges impact approval for Comporta farming project

The Portuguese Botanical Society (SPBotânica) has written an open letter opposing a conditional environmental approval granted to the Herdades da Murta e Monte Novo II agroforestry project, located within the Comporta/Galé Natura 2000 protected area. The letter warns the project threatens rare dune habitats, wetlands and endemic species dependent on groundwater, and notes around 3,000 hectares of natural habitat have already been converted to intensive farming since 2019. It also says an LNEG assessment warning of aquifer collapse was disregarded in the approval. SPBotânica is calling on the government, ICNF and Alcácer do Sal council to review the decision and enforce the site's conservation plan.

AlentejoEcosystems & BiodiversityRead more at Wilder ↗

Lisbon residents take Artilharia Um project complaint to Brussels

A residents' group, Artilharia Um, has complained to the European Commission over a decision to exempt a major Lisbon development from an environmental impact assessment. The nearly five-hectare site beside Amoreiras, home to the derelict former Artillery Barracks No. 1, is earmarked by Novo Banco for 683 homes, offices, shops and public facilities. Campaigners argue the project's scale and the area's sensitivity should have triggered an EIA, but it was classified as an amendment to an existing scheme instead. The group has also asked the Public Prosecutor's Office to review the planning permission's validity and other legal questions, and has collected over 500 petition signatures.

LisbonConstruction & HousingRead more at Portugal Resident ↗

Porto metrobus redesign nets 415 more trees on Avenida da Boavista

Porto's municipal council and Metro do Porto have revised the second phase of the metrobus (BRT) project, adding 344 trees to the original plan through preservation, transplantation and new planting. The scheme will now total 690 trees along the route, a net gain of 415 compared with the pre-existing stock. Works now move to the central corridor of Avenida da Boavista, where a technical assessment found severe structural and root damage in 25 poplars, partly caused by the construction itself. Following the report, authorities agreed to fell 20 trees while trying to save five, with the felling scheduled for 18-19 August and traffic restrictions in place.

NorteEnergy, Water & MobilityRead more at Ambiente Magazine ↗

Mangualde council to enforce zero tolerance on illegal waste dumping

Mangualde council announced it will tighten inspections by the end of the month against people illegally dumping waste beside containers and recycling points, after a significant rise in such cases across the municipality. Deputy mayor João Cruz said offenders will face fines ranging from 250 to 1,500 euros for individuals and 1,250 to 22,000 euros for companies, once responsible parties are identified. Items such as bags, furniture, appliances and construction waste have been left near collection points, harming cleanliness, attracting animals and raising costs. The council urged residents to dispose of waste correctly.

CentroProducts, Consumption & CircularRead more at Green Savers ↗

Energy and the grid

PM says State's return to REN stake could cut power costs

Prime Minister Luís Montenegro said all details of the Portuguese state's return to REN's shareholder structure will be made public for scrutiny by the country and political parties. He noted the deal, involving a listed company, must follow market rules to avoid distortions. Last Friday, state holding company Parpública bought a 13.7% stake in REN from Spain's Pontegadea Inversiones, pending Court of Auditors approval. Montenegro said the move aims to strengthen the electricity network's resilience and, by optimising the system, potentially reduce costs for households and businesses, marking a partial reversal of REN's 2014 privatisation.

Energy, Water & MobilityRead more at Jornal PT Green ↗

GlobalData says Portugal still needs gas plants despite renewables growth

A GlobalData report warns that Portugal's rapid renewable energy expansion is straining grid reliability, meaning gas plants will remain essential for longer than planned to balance supply during low wind, solar or hydro output. Electricity demand is forecast to rise from 53 TWh in 2025 to about 57.3 TWh by 2030. Around 30 GW of generation projects await grid connection, with bottlenecks worst in areas like the Algarve. GlobalData says faster grid modernisation, storage incentives and simpler licensing could let Portugal generate over 70% of electricity from renewables by 2035 while still relying on gas at peak times.

Energy, Water & MobilityRead more at Ambiente Magazine ↗

Ceramics factory cut energy costs by 24% through monitoring

In an interview, Susana Pires of Youdera explains how real-time energy monitoring and strategic management can cut business costs. She cites a ceramics factory case where combining consumption monitoring, invoice audits, a structured supplier tender and a photovoltaic self-consumption system with battery storage reduced overall energy costs by 24% in the first year. Pires argues most companies passively pay bills without questioning contracted power, tariff indexation or regulated charges, missing savings opportunities such as renewable energy communities, power purchase agreements, or the electro-intensive client status available to high, steady consumers.

Energy, Water & MobilityRead more at Ambiente Magazine ↗

Waste, less of it

New plant in Ourém to recycle 120,000 tyres a year

BB&G has installed a tyre-recycling plant in Vilar dos Prazeres, Ourém, following an investment of around one million euros over the past year. Starting operations this month, the facility will process 1,500 tonnes of rubber granulate annually, equivalent to 120,000 end-of-life tyres, converting it into secondary raw materials that can be reused in new tyre manufacturing. The company describes it as Portugal's first circular economy project in the tyre sector, based on proprietary technology. BB&G is backed by technology partner BDI-BioEnergy International and has a collaboration agreement with Bridgestone EMEA and Versalis (ENI) to validate the material's quality.

CentroProducts, Consumption & CircularRead more at Região de Leiria ↗

Northern Portugal approves key waste management investments

CCDR NORTE has approved a set of strategic waste management decisions for Portugal's northern region, including environmental impact statements for a BRAVAL project and LIPOR's anaerobic digestion plant, plus environmental licences for Ambisousa's organic waste facility and RESINORTE landfills in Celorico de Basto and Boticas. The approvals aim to expand the region's waste treatment capacity, boost recovery of biowaste, and cut landfill deposits, supporting Portugal's circular economy commitments to the European Commission. Vice-President Gabriela Leite said the decisions strengthen the region's response to current waste management challenges.

NorteProducts, Consumption & CircularRead more at Ambiente Magazine ↗

Smart Waste says circular habits could save Portuguese households hundreds yearly

The Smart Waste association says Portuguese households could save hundreds of euros a year through circular economy practices such as planning purchases, cutting food waste, repairing goods instead of replacing them, and buying second-hand. Citing INE data for 2024, it notes Portugal wasted over 1.8 million tonnes of food, mostly from households, with a Too Good To Go estimate putting the cost near 350 euros per person yearly. The association also cites EU figures on repair versus replacement spending, and stresses that companies and public policy must also support durability, repairability and access to reuse options.

Products, Consumption & CircularRead more at Jornal PT Green ↗

Portuguese schools recycle record 515 tonnes of e-waste

The 2025-2026 edition of the "Escola Electrão" recycling campaign saw 720 Portuguese schools, including those in the Azores and Madeira, collect over 515 tonnes of batteries, electrical equipment and lamps for recycling, a 12% rise on the previous year. Battery collection grew 36% to 24 tonnes. The campaign also expanded environmental education, running 30 awareness sessions and recycling plant visits. Prize vouchers reached a record 57,975 euros, with the Escola Secundária Manuel de Arriaga in the Azores taking top place after collecting over 35 tonnes of equipment with council support.

AzoresEducation & Eco-tourismRead more at Ambiente Magazine ↗

Food, land and tradition

Alcobaça apple harvest season begins in August

August marks the start of the harvest for the Maçã de Alcobaça, a protected geographical indication (PGI) product with roots dating back to the 12th century in the former Coutos de Alcobaça. The apple is known for its crisp texture and sweet-tart balance, shaped by the Atlantic maritime influence on the region, unlike typical mountain-grown apples. Producers are increasingly combining tradition with sustainability efforts, such as the Ecopomar programme, which promotes biodiversity, soil protection and precision irrigation to make orchards more efficient and environmentally friendly.

CentroFood & AgricultureRead more at AJAP ↗

Moreno turns rejected Fundão cherries into balsamic vinegar

Moreno, a brand of Casa Mendes Gonçalves, has created a new balsamic product using cherries from Fundão that fail to meet commercial standards and would otherwise not reach supermarket shelves. Instead of being discarded, the fruit is repurposed into a vinegar-style product, giving it a second use and reducing food waste. The initiative reflects a broader push in the food industry to find value in produce that does not meet cosmetic or size criteria for retail sale.

CentroFood & AgricultureRead more at Agroportal ↗

Diary dates and debates

Algarve workshop launches regional food security debate cycle

On 4 September, the Centro de Experimentação Agrária de Tavira hosts a workshop titled "Segurança Alimentar e Nutricional - Saborear o Algarve 2030", part of the Feira da Dieta Mediterrânica. It opens a regional event cycle meant to consult local food-system stakeholders and map challenges and opportunities by territory. Organised in three thematic workshops—production, consumption and health—the session will address short supply chains, food waste, and healthy eating among vulnerable groups. Conclusions will feed into a national map of good practices and inform policies to be presented at a 2026 national conference. The event is run by the Ministry of Agriculture and Sea with CCDR Algarve.

AlgarveFood & AgricultureRead more at Jornal do Algarve ↗

PAN Madeira to host climate governance meeting in Funchal

PAN Madeira will hold a conference titled "Governação Climática e Sustentabilidade nos Territórios Insulares" on 17 September at the Colégio dos Jesuítas in Funchal, running from 10am to 5pm. The event is organised with Portalegre's Polytechnic Institute, through its VALORIZA research centre, with collaboration from the University of Madeira. It will feature four debate sessions on climate governance, public policy, civil society's role and cooperation among island territories, including a panel with representatives of Madeira's parliamentary parties sharing experiences from the Jornadas Atlânticas. Registration is mandatory and already open.

MadeiraCommunity & Social InnovationRead more at JM Madeira ↗

Algarve councils invited to conference on children's diets in schools

Municipalities and parish councils in the Algarve have been invited to the first "Heróis da Fruta" Conference, taking place on 10 September in Lisbon, marking 15 years of the school-based healthy eating programme run by the Portuguese Association Against Childhood Obesity (APCOI). The event will present recent data on children's eating habits broken down by municipality, alongside results from a pilot project in Lisbon's Ajuda parish showing that a roughly ten-euro extra investment per child can boost the programme's effectiveness. APCOI's president argues that scaling up the method nationally now depends on greater involvement from municipal authorities.

Food & AgricultureRead more at Jornal do Algarve ↗

Blue economy jobs diversify beyond fishing and shipping

A new report by Blue Jobs, the 'Blue Economy Jobs Report 2026', shows that marine conservation, ecology and wildlife now lead ocean-related job offers with 16%, ahead of fisheries and aquaculture, management and consultancy, ocean literacy, marine research, renewable energy and coastal policy. Based on 1,700 job listings across 76 countries, the analysis points to growing multidisciplinarity driven by sustainability, innovation and energy transition. Portugal's Directorate-General for Maritime Policy says it is tracking these trends in line with national and EU marine strategies. The EU blue economy generates around €171 billion in gross value added and over €620 billion in annual turnover.

Energy, Water & MobilityRead more at Jornal PT Green ↗

Close to home

Shepherd's flock returns from Serra da Estrela summer pastures

The municipality of Gouveia is holding a reception on Sunday for Joaquim Marvão, described as the last transhumant shepherd in the area, as he brings his flock of over 500 sheep and goats back from Vale do Rossim in the Serra da Estrela after nearly three months there. The return journey covers 19.5 kilometres along the mountain's northwest slope, partly at night. The walk, open to the public, includes dinner and a late supper with the shepherds, and forms part of Gouveia's cultural programme within the Terras da Transumância network, marking the fifth stage of the annual Grande Rota da Transumância.

CentroFood & AgricultureRead more at Agroportal ↗

Idanha-a-Nova launches free electric bus service

The municipality of Idanha-a-Nova has introduced a new free transport service using an electric bus, aimed at residents and visitors to the town. The service is designed to make daily journeys easier, connecting people to health, commerce and leisure facilities. It also forms part of the council's efforts to promote sustainable, environmentally friendly mobility. No further details on routes, schedules or frequency were provided in the announcement.

CentroEnergy, Water & MobilityRead more at Notícias de Coimbra ↗

Faro project teaches young people balanced digital habits

The IKIGAI – Equilíbrio Digital project, run by Associação G.A.TO. with Faro Municipal Council as social investor, targets children and young people aged 9 to 18 in the Faro area. Rather than banning screens, it aims to help them understand why and how they use technology, and to reclaim time for sleep, physical activity, creativity and face-to-face relationships. The programme combines psychological and psychomotor support with sports such as surfing, skateboarding and canoeing, alongside cultural activities and family support. It also involves schools, health and education services, and community partners.

AlgarveEducation & Eco-tourismRead more at Postal ↗
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