Navigator cuts 300,000 tonnes of CO2 with PRR-backed projects
The Navigator Company has completed a set of projects backed by Portugal's Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR), cutting emissions at its four industrial sites in Setúbal, Figueira da Foz, Aveiro and Vila Velha de Ródão by around 300,000 tonnes of CO2. Six major decarbonisation projects, worth about 193 million euros with 76 million from the PRR, included a recovery boiler, a biomass lime kiln, cogeneration and photovoltaic plants. The company says this brings its 2018-2035 decarbonisation target, which aims for an 86% cut, to roughly 54% by 2027. Navigator is now studying further biomass and electrification projects for 2027-2035.
Pingo Doce details food waste reduction efforts in interview
In an interview with Ambiente Magazine, Pingo Doce's Sustainable Development director Filipa Pimentel outlined the retailer's food waste and sustainability initiatives, including its renewed support for the Cidade do Zero event. She highlighted the Alimenta o Bairro donation programme, which reached over 550 institutions and donated 12,000 tonnes of food in 2025, and the Etiqueta de Poupança discount labels, which have prevented over 27,500 tonnes of food waste since 2019. Other measures include selling irregular-shaped produce, cut fruit portions and a new 'imperfect' produce range, reflecting growing consumer interest in sustainable, cost-saving choices.
BCSD Portugal Academy trains over 18,000 for sustainable transition
The BCSD Portugal Academy, created in 2023 as an arm of the business council founded in 2001, has now recorded over 18,000 training participations across more than 600 companies and 1,600 training hours. It offers a three-level structured learning path alongside tailor-made courses, and has partnered with organisations including Fundação Santander, reaching about 600 Portuguese SMEs, and AICEP, delivering training in five municipalities. Average satisfaction stands at 93% since 2023. BCSD Portugal says the focus is shifting from technical expertise for specialists towards broader transversal skills, such as systems thinking and adaptability, needed to embed sustainability into everyday business decisions.
Study finds regenerative tourism still excluded from investment portfolios
A study by Nova SBE's Leadership for Impact Knowledge Center and Blink Impact, based on interviews with investors, academics and practitioners, examines why regenerative tourism struggles to attract capital despite growing impact investment. Researchers Ricardo Zozimo and Ana Milhazes identify structural barriers including mismatched timeframes, weak trust between investors and local operators, and metrics that fail to capture ecological, social and cultural value. In an interview, Milhazes argues investors should be seen as system-shapers rather than mere financiers, and proposes shifting from 'patient capital' towards 'generational capital' that accepts returns may take decades to materialise.
Algarve university welcomes first joint Blue Economy degree students
The University of Algarve (UAlg) welcomed 13 international students enrolled in SeaBLUE, the first joint degree in Sustainable Blue Economy offered under the SEA-EU alliance. Coordinated by the University of Cádiz, the programme sees students complete their first year in Spain before moving to Faro for the second year in 2026/2027. The welcome event included an institutional presentation, meetings with lecturers, and cultural visits to Faro's historic centre and the Centro Ciência Viva. UAlg describes the degree as a milestone in European academic cooperation focused on the challenges of the blue economy.
Water utility association holds water quality conference in Torres Vedras
The Portuguese Water Utilities Association (APDA) is holding a one-day conference on 23 September in Torres Vedras, focused on the future of water quality in Portugal. Panels will cover managing water quality during emergencies, anticipating future regulatory and technical challenges, digital innovation and data use, and the sector's struggle to attract and retain skilled staff. Speakers include representatives from ERSAR, local health and water authorities, INDAQUA, EDP Labelec and other organisations. APDA argues that digital transformation must go hand in hand with preserving accumulated technical knowledge within water utilities.
Portugal and Brazil to hold joint sustainability seminar online
On Friday, 25 September at 2pm, the University of Lisbon's Faculty of Sciences and Brazil's IPEMAI institute will jointly host an online International Sustainability Seminar. The event, streamed live on YouTube, is open to the public and features two one-hour panels: one on climate challenges, with researchers discussing climatology, Amazon hydrological risk management and corporate ESG governance, and another on biodiversity credits, covering nature conservation and sustainable forestry certification. Each panel includes 40 minutes of presentations followed by 20 minutes of audience interaction.
