Good morning. Today brings a newly discovered plant in Monchique, otters on an Algarve beach and a wine grown under solar panels, alongside plenty of debate on water, energy and how we move around.
A photograph taken by a tourist in the hills of Monchique prompted scientists to investigate and identify a plant species previously unknown to science. The discovery highlights the role citizen observations can play in botanical research and suggests the Monchique area may still hold undocumented biodiversity. No further details on the species or the researchers involved were given.
Praia da Boca do Rio, in Budens, sits next to the Paul da Lontreira, a roughly 134-hectare wetland formed where three streams meet before reaching the sea. Otters living there occasionally venture into the marine zone, and are best spotted at dawn or dusk. The wetland also hosts herons, storks and other birdlife, and nearby ruins of a Roman villa and an 18th-century tuna-fishing building add historical interest. The beach has no lifeguards, though the Maritime Authority monitors the area regularly during the June-to-September bathing season.
Madeira's regional statistics authority (DREM) reported that seven of 21 weather stations across the archipelago recorded tropical nights — minimum temperatures at or above 20°C — on every day of August 2026. All stations with available data showed average temperatures above the climatological norm, with Funchal/Observatório posting the largest deviation, 1.7°C above reference values, and the month's highest average temperature (25.4°C). Pico do Areeiro recorded both the month's absolute maximum (30.7°C on 3 August) and minimum (5.1°C on 28 August). Sea surface temperature ranged between 23.2°C and 24.6°C.
Galp and the Instituto Superior de Agronomia have unveiled "Luz da Tapada", Portugal's first wine made from grapes grown under solar panels, following two years of trials at ISA's Lisbon vineyard. Tests on Viosinho and Encruzado grapes found panels cut sun-scald incidence sharply and delayed ripening by 10 to 22 days, while reducing solar radiation by 35-50% and keeping humidity higher. The 400-bottle special edition splits grapes grown under panels and in an open control plot. Galp is now trialling the same agrivoltaic approach with apple and blueberry crops in western and northern Portugal.
Controlled-environment agriculture, including smart greenhouses and vertical farming, is becoming more important across Europe as food production faces growing pressure from climate change, water scarcity, shrinking farmland and increasingly unstable growing conditions. According to the piece, there is no single solution that fits all of Europe, suggesting different regions may need different approaches depending on local conditions and resources.
The Coimbra Metropolitan Region hosted a study visit under FISSH, an INTERREG Europe project supporting healthy eating and small food-sector businesses, bringing together 23 participants from Finland, Greece, Belgium and Poland. The visit focused on marketing, consumption and consumer perception of sustainable food products. Participants toured local initiatives including the Coimbra Agricultural School, INOPOL, HIESE in Penela, Cantanhede municipality and Quinta de Baixo, and heard presentations on Coimbra's food strategy projects. Sessions also covered best practices from partner regions and a study on using ultraviolet light against vine diseases in Bairrada.
COTR announced the 11th National Irrigation and Drainage Congress, themed 'Water to Produce the Future: Resilience, Efficiency and Intelligence in Water Resources', to be held in Beja from 30 September to 2 October 2026. The event will bring together government officials, the agricultural sector and specialists to discuss efficiency, technology and artificial intelligence in water management. The Minister of Agriculture and the Sea is expected to open the congress. The announcement was made in an interview with engineer Gonçalo Tristão of COTR.
Organisers of the Global Agri Forum announced that the 2026 edition has sold out ahead of the event, which will take place in Lisbon on 1 October. The forum brings together business leaders, investors and policymakers from Brazil, the Iberian Peninsula and African markets to discuss agribusiness investment and cooperation across the Portuguese-speaking world. Confirmed speakers include figures from Angola's AAPA, Brazil's SPventures, VdA and Sugal Group, alongside sponsors such as Hidrosoph, Grupo Hubel and the International Finance Corporation.
Environmental group Quercus has objected to the Mira Wind Farm, a Galp project proposing 22 turbines across Odemira and Ourique to complement an existing solar plant, warning that environmental and social impacts are being underestimated. It cites risks to birdlife, sensitive habitats, soil erosion and water resources, noting four turbines would sit in Ourique areas currently barred to renewable projects, and overlaps with protected agricultural and ecological reserves. Turbines could reach 200 metres, raising fears of habitat fragmentation for raptors and bats. Quercus is calling for relocation of some turbines, a year-long wildlife monitoring plan, and cumulative impact assessments before licensing.
The Tougues parish council, in Vila do Conde, has postponed a public briefing on a planned biomethane production plant, citing expected high turnout and insufficient logistical conditions to hold it properly. A new date has not yet been set. Residents have reportedly voiced clear opposition to the project, led by company CapWatt. The Vila do Conde municipal council confirmed it approved a preliminary urban viability request, but clarified this does not amount to licensing the biomethane activity, which still requires approval from other competent authorities.
The Portuguese government authorised the transfer of surface rights over a 4,632 square-metre plot at Praia Norte, owned by the Polytechnic University of Viana do Castelo, to the local council for 30 years. The land will host a €5.1 million Technology and Innovation Centre in Ocean Energy, run by the Sustemare association, formalised in July and chaired by the university's rector. Construction will be funded by the Norte 2030 regional programme, with the council covering building and oversight costs before handing management to Sustemare. The centre aims to employ around 40 qualified professionals by 2030, focusing on blue energy and reducing the environmental impact of maritime infrastructure.
CarMine, a European Horizon Europe project worth about €8.63 million, officially launched on 24 September in Vila Nova de Famalicão, coordinated by CeNTI. Running from September 2026 to August 2030, it aims to recover lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements from end-of-life electric vehicle batteries and motors, reprocessing them into materials comparable to virgin ones. The project involves 11 partner organisations covering dismantling, recycling, manufacturing and digital traceability, including a Digital Product Passport tracking recovered materials' origin. It seeks to cut waste, reduce environmental impact and lower Europe's dependence on external raw material supplies.
In an interview, Nuno Canha, Lead Researcher at HyLab, argues that Portugal's main challenge is coordinating hydrogen production, demand and infrastructure into an integrated, economically viable value chain, rather than proving the technology works. He says research can cut costs across storage, transport, distribution and safety, not just production, and highlights industrial and port hubs as key locations for concentrating producers, infrastructure and consumers. He also points to the Agenda H2 Green Valley project, which developed simulation tools, digital twins, sensors and experimental infrastructure covering blending, leak detection and end-use applications.
Carglass Portugal has installed its first self-consumption solar unit at its Viseu-Coimbrões branch, a pilot project developed with SES Energia. The 24.36 kWp installation, with 42 panels, should generate about 32,670 kWh annually and could cover up to 65% of the branch's energy needs. Surplus electricity will be shared with nearby consumers, starting with local charity Os Amigos de Fragosela. Carglass says the model, framed under Decree-Law 15/2022 on energy communities, will be evaluated before any decision to replicate it at other branches, where it estimates potential capacity above 2 MW.
Telecoms operator dstelecom published its 2025 ESG Report ahead of Portugal's National Sustainability Day on 25 September. The company says 99.91% of the roughly 4,206 MWh it consumed came from renewable sources, backed by ISO 14001 certification and Science Based Targets initiative goals. Waste fell about 15% to 105.53 tonnes, with no hazardous waste recorded, alongside expanded refurbishment and circular procurement practices. The firm also reported 276 employees, up 12%, over 10,000 training hours, and new NP 4552 certification for work-life balance, plus continued fibre expansion in low-density areas.
Águas do Ribatejo has launched public tenders worth around €6 million to overhaul three ageing wastewater treatment plants at Benfica do Ribatejo, Muge and Glória do Ribatejo. Company director-general Miguel Carrinho said the decades-old facilities need deep renovation to meet current and upcoming environmental standards, including the new EU urban wastewater directive. Work is expected to take between roughly eighteen months and just over two years, depending on the project. The plants serve part of the 140,000 people covered by the company across seven municipalities in the Lezíria do Tejo, and the projects have applied for EU funding under the Sustentável 2030 programme.
Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas said he will act against risky scooter behaviour, citing chaotic parking and riding against traffic flow, though he gave no timeline or specific measures. He spoke at the launch of a UN-JCDecaux road safety campaign at Lisbon city hall, also attended by ACP president Carlos Barbosa, whose organisation recently gathered around 20,000 signatures seeking a referendum on the city's shared scooter scheme. Moedas noted he had already halved scooter numbers through negotiation with operators and said operators must prevent wrong-way riding or the council will intervene. He also said Lisbon's annual road deaths have fallen from over 30 in 2020 to 16.
Braga hospital's workers' committee held a debate on staff and patient mobility to the central hospital, describing the daily commute as a serious problem. Participants, including hospital and municipal officials, agreed that building four peripheral car parks with connecting public transport, similar to arrangements used during major events in Braga, could ease the strain. Buses would not have exclusive lanes but priority access, and would involve carriers beyond the municipal TUB service. The ULS Braga chairman also said he was open to decentralising some services to other hospitals or health centres to reduce trips to Braga.
On National Sustainability Day, 25 September, Transportes Metropolitanos do Porto (TMP) joined the Porto Climate Pact, a municipal initiative bringing together public and private organisations to speed up the climate transition and make the city carbon neutral by 2030. The move formalises TMP's existing work on public transport, sustainable mobility, modal integration and service digitalisation. It also highlights the Sustainable School Mobility Programme, launched during European Mobility Week, aiming to reach about 70,000 students in roughly 120 public schools across the 17 municipalities of the Porto metropolitan area. As a signatory, TMP commits to setting emission-reduction targets and reporting results.
The public consultation on Leiria's Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (PMUS) has closed, gathering 100 submissions from 89 contributors, including residents, associations, businesses, municipal bodies and institutions. The municipality will now assess these contributions to help shape a final version of the plan, which may incorporate adjustments based on the ideas received. The final document is expected to be presented in November.
The Jardins Abertos festival will take place in Caldas da Rainha for the first time, on 17 and 18 October, organised by the Associação Jardins Abertos together with the local council. The programme covers the Parque D. Carlos I, the Mata Rainha D. Leonor, urban vegetable gardens and community ecological projects, including BioRainha, the municipality's first ecological island. Activities include guided tours, workshops and collective gardening sessions, with volunteer sign-ups open. Running since 2017, the free festival began in Lisbon with 80 visitors and now draws tens of thousands of participants annually across several Portuguese cities.
On 12 September, the Portuguese League for Nature Conservation (LPN), with EPAL, held a training session titled 'Caminhos da Água' for teachers, students and citizens, exploring Lisbon's natural and cultural heritage. The route covered the Tejo estuary viewpoint, the Tapada das Necessidades and the Infante Santo Geomonument, linking water supply history, biodiversity and geology. Trainers highlighted the Tapada's roughly 10 hectares and over 3,300 catalogued trees, noting visible degradation and ongoing discussions to transfer its rehabilitation project to the municipality. LPN plans further sessions, including one on 7 November in Monsanto Forest Park.
Esposende's Municipal Archive will hold a session on 3 October titled "Ecos da Água", bringing together experts and residents to discuss the region's relationship with water, memories of extreme weather events, and community responses to flooding risk. The debate reflects Esposende's exposure to the Cávado and Neiva rivers and the Atlantic coast, where floods and storms are part of collective memory amid climate change. From 6 to 8 October, a related educational activity for secondary school students will explore local water memories. Both events form part of the European S+T+ARTS AQUA MOTION project led by artist Seila Fernández Arconada with the Rio Neiva association.
The Seixal municipal auditorium will host the European Seminar of the Erasmus+ project ECO-DATA on 22 October, organised by ASPEA together with the Seixal municipality. The event brings together educators, researchers, local authorities and NGOs to discuss turning ecological data into art and civic action for protecting rivers, estuaries and coastal ecosystems. Highlights include the launch of an Educational Toolkit, a European Awareness Campaign and a Roadmap for Blue Ecosystems Protection, plus two discussion panels, an exhibition stand area, and study visits to the Seixal Bay and the Ecomuseu's Mundet cork heritage site.
Esposende's Municipal Council presented its tourism strategy for 2027-2030, alongside signing a Sustainable Tourism Commitment Charter as part of its bid for Sustainable Tourism Destination certification. Under the slogan "Um destino que te marca", the plan aims to reduce reliance on the summer beach season by promoting the area's natural resources, sea and river, heritage, culture, gastronomy, traditions, sport and parish identities throughout the year. Mayor Carlos Silva said tourism carries significant weight in the local economy and the goal is to grow it with quality, attracting new visitor segments. Councillor Fátima Escrivães said the strategy was built around existing resources.
A group of teachers and students from Escola Secundária Jaime Moniz, in Madeira, travelled to Łódź, Poland, from 21 to 25 September 2026 as part of the Erasmus+ project 'Eco-Citizens for a Sustainable Europe', which also involves schools in Greece and Poland. The visit included workshops on environmental sustainability, photography and video linked to environmental education, and a stay at partner school VI Liceum Ogólnokształcące. Participants also visited Warsaw, including the European Parliament Liaison Office, as well as Kraków, exploring local heritage and green urban spaces.
A short read every morning — what's happening across sustainable Portugal.
