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2 October 2026

Good morning. Autumn migration is in full swing, festivals are celebrating food and nature across the country, and water is on everyone's mind.

Nature and biodiversity

Sagres bird migration festival returns with over 300 activities

The 17th edition of Sagres' Bird Watching and Nature Activities Festival will offer more than 300 activities, many free, celebrating the autumn migration through the Sudoeste Alentejano and Costa Vicentina. New this year are moth photography and a sound safari, alongside regular bird, plant and insect watching sessions and walks. A science conference on 4 October will present research on swifts, storks and a marine protected area. The featured species is the razorbill. The festival, running since 2010, is organised by Vila do Bispo council with SPEA and Almargem.

AlgarveEducation & Eco-tourismMore on this story → View project: SPEA – Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves →

Portuguese bird group asks public to report window collisions

SPEA-BirdLife is asking citizens to report birds killed or injured after colliding with glass surfaces, as thousands of birds cross Portugal during autumn migration. A 2024 SPEA study found that 82% of recorded collisions are fatal. The organisation has an online form to log incidents, helping identify affected species and dangerous locations such as glazed buildings, acoustic barriers and domestic windows. It wants this data to pressure authorities and developers into adopting preventive measures, including planning against reflective surfaces near rivers, wetlands and parks, and using visible films on unavoidable glass.

Ecosystems & BiodiversityMore on this story → View project: SPEA – Sociedade Portuguesa para o Estudo das Aves →

Study finds butterfly beauty skews conservation attention

A study published in Current Biology, co-authored by researchers from Lisbon University's CE3C centre, found that butterflies perceived as more beautiful attract disproportionate public attention, scientific research and conservation prioritisation. Drawing on over 21,000 survey responses from more than 100 countries, the team found visually appealing species overrepresented in instruments like the Bern Convention and the EU Habitats Directive, though not in IUCN Red Lists. Beauty-driven observation patterns on platforms like iNaturalist can also bias extinction-risk data. The researchers argue recognising this 'beauty bias' is a first step towards conservation decisions based on real ecological need rather than aesthetic appeal.

Ecosystems & BiodiversityMore on this story →

Twelve-partner project to assess extensive grazing in Iberian reserves

PASTONATUR, a transnational project funded by Interreg Sudoe, brings together twelve partners from Spain, France and Portugal to study how extensive livestock farming supports biodiversity, climate resilience and rural economies. Sixteen pilot farms across ten protected areas, including three in the Alentejo, will be assessed using shared methodologies covering conservation, climate adaptation, economic performance and social impact. The project cites an EEA report finding one in three EU-protected habitats depends on low-intensity grazing, while extensive farms declined over 70% between 2010 and 2020. Planned outputs include a certification framework, training courses, and short-circuit sales trials reaching around 30 restaurants.

AlentejoFood & AgricultureMore on this story → View project: ADPM – Associação de Defesa do Património de Mértola →

Portugal to launch pilot project to control wild boar numbers

The Portuguese government plans to launch a pilot project in October to control the growing wild boar population, according to the newspaper PÚBLICO. It will focus on regions considered most affected, aiming to test and assess the effectiveness of measures on the ground. Rising boar numbers have increasingly worried farmers and rural communities, as the animals can damage crops and cause economic losses. Results from the pilot could inform a broader response and potential wider rollout. The AJAP, an association of young farmers, says it will continue monitoring the issue as more details emerge.

Ecosystems & BiodiversityMore on this story → View project: AJAP – Associação dos Jovens Agricultores de Portugal →

Needs attention

Tagus river still logs zero-flow days two years after pledge

Two years after Portugal and Spain pledged to end zero-flow days on the Tagus, data from Portugal's national water resources information system show the river still falls short. Between October 2025 and September 2026, flow at the Fratel reservoir was below the agreed daily minimum on 14 days, including 5 days of zero flow, with environmental groups proTEJO and ZERO saying the 2024 commitment remains unfulfilled. They warn that reliance on cumulative annual, quarterly and weekly volumes masks days of near-dry riverbeds, and criticise Portugal's newly approved €5 billion water strategy for prioritising new infrastructure over protecting and restoring rivers.

CentroEnergy, Water & MobilityMore on this story → View project: ZERO – Associação Sistema Terrestre Sustentável →

Almeida Socialists raise alarm over Spanish lithium mining nearby

The Socialist Party (PS) branch in Almeida has voiced deep concern over lithium and rubidium mining projects planned by Berkeley just across the border in Fuentes de Oñoro and Espeja, Spain. Concern grew after the mining company signed a cooperation agreement with the Fuentes de Oñoro town council and announced a cross-border centre for strategic mineral resources. PS leader João Fabião warned the activity consumes vast water resources and risks contaminating shared groundwater and river basins, also threatening biodiversity, noise and dust pollution, and tourism. The party is calling for effective cross-border public consultation and strict enforcement of EU environmental rules.

CentroEnergy, Water & MobilityRead more at Jornal PT Green ↗

Quercus urges Parliament to legislate on public beach access

Environmental group Quercus has called on all parliamentary parties to pass clear, binding legislation guaranteeing free and unimpeded public access to every beach in Portugal. The appeal follows persistent reports of physical barriers, intimidating private security and missing pedestrian or parking access along the coast, notably around Grândola and Setúbal. A 2025 APA inspection of the Tróia-Melides stretch found irregularities at 10 of 22 beaches checked, despite official claims that access had been fully restored. Quercus wants new rules conditioning tourism developments on guaranteed public access, banning barriers, and strengthening APA's enforcement powers and independence.

AlentejoCommunity & Social InnovationRead more at Quercus ↗

Opinion piece warns Portugal risks footing coastal building bill later

An opinion article argues that Portugal's coastal erosion, which has already claimed around 13.8 km² of territory since 1958, means new construction permitted in risk zones creates costs that may only surface decades later and fall on the public purse. It notes Portugal has spent roughly 350 million euros on coastal defences over the past fifteen years. The author proposes that risk classifications should permanently accompany property records through sales and leases, and suggests an adaptation fund financed by contributions from new developments in at-risk areas, so developers and owners share future costs rather than leaving them entirely to future taxpayers.

Construction & HousingRead more at Jornal Económico ↗

Portugal extends Pisão dam works timeline to 2030

Portugal's government approved a financial reprogramming of the Pisão dam and hydroelectric plant in Crato, extending the works deadline to 2030 while keeping the authorised investment at €222.2 million. The change follows construction suspensions ordered by courts after environmental groups challenged the project judicially. The scheme, funded through the Sustentável 2030 programme and EU Cohesion Fund money, had originally targeted completion by the end of 2027. The Alto Alentejo intermunicipal body, which manages the works, says the revised timeline gives it budgetary certainty to proceed with pending contracts once legal proceedings are resolved.

AlentejoEnergy, Water & MobilityRead more at Jornal Alto Alentejo ↗

Water and farming

Portugal marks Water Day with push on irrigation efficiency

On National Water Day, Portugal's Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development (DGADR) highlighted its role in managing water use in farming, a sector under growing pressure from frequent, prolonged droughts, especially in central and southern Portugal. As the national authority on irrigation, DGADR leads the National Irrigation Programme, focused on rehabilitating and modernising existing agricultural water schemes rather than only building new infrastructure, including converting open-channel systems to pressurised networks to cut water loss. The agency also supports farmer training in precision agriculture and soil-moisture conservation. It called on the farming sector to adopt more sustainable water practices.

Energy, Water & MobilityRead more at Rede Rural ↗

CONFAGRI calls for integrated water strategy in EU funding round

At a round table in Beja during the XI National Irrigation and Drainage Congress, CONFAGRI secretary-general Nuno Serra argued Portugal needs an integrated water strategy covering human consumption, agriculture, energy and territorial cohesion, not just infrastructure works. He voiced concern over how the "Água Que Une" plan will be funded and operationalised, and warned that in the next EU funding cycle water will no longer fall under PEPAC but will compete with other areas for Cohesion funds. He also cautioned that fragmenting money across municipalities could hinder large-scale projects like new dams, stressing that political will, not just plans, will determine outcomes.

AlentejoEnergy, Water & MobilityMore on this story →

Cristas says nature could become new farm financing source

Assunção Cristas argues that carbon, biodiversity and nature could be turned into economic assets, opening a new financing avenue for agriculture. She notes farming faces growing pressure to produce more food while land and natural resources are increasingly constrained, limiting the scope for further expansion. The point was made in comments reported by Jornal Económico, without further detail available in the excerpt.

Food & AgricultureRead more at Agroportal ↗

Alqueva Sustentável brings sustainability tools to RuralBeja fair

The Alqueva Sustentável project, run by EDIA with NERBE and NERE, is holding an event this Friday at RuralBeja in Beja. A workshop at the fair's exhibition centre will present two assessment tools: a platform for farmers and a barometer for agribusiness and tourism companies, both designed to measure and improve sustainability practices. EDIA representatives and local entrepreneurs will take part. Afterwards, a roadshow at the EDIA stand will serve talha wine from Gerações da Talha and host a discussion on winemaking, heritage and wine tourism, linking the evaluation tools to practical experience on the ground.

AlentejoFood & AgricultureRead more at Rádio Pax ↗

Moura hosts municipalities to discuss dam and renewables compensation

The municipality of Moura is hosting a meeting of local councils linked to the Alqueva reservoir and to renewable energy projects, to discuss what compensation territories hosting dams and clean energy infrastructure should receive. The event, held at the Alqueva Interpretation Centre, brings together members of the Transfrontier Alqueva Lake Association and the Renewable Energy Municipalities Section of the National Association of Portuguese Municipalities. Discussions cover tax fairness and compensation mechanisms for populations affected by these facilities. The day includes a visit to the centre, a working session, and a boat trip on the Alqueva reservoir.

AlentejoEnergy, Water & MobilityRead more at Rádio Pax ↗

Getting around and local infrastructure

Sousel joins Alto Alentejo shared e-bike network

Sousel has become one of nine municipalities in Portalegre district participating in CICLAA, a shared electric bicycle system run by the Alto Alentejo Intermunicipal Community (CIMAA) to promote sustainable urban mobility. The town's docking and charging station is located next to the Sports Complex. Bikes are unlocked via a mobile app after account registration, and the service is open to residents or workers in Portalegre district aged 16 or over. Users are covered by personal accident insurance, while the rules set fines of 250 to 1,500 euros for breaches, alongside possible civil or criminal liability.

AlentejoEnergy, Water & MobilityMore on this story →

Azores to expand São Miguel school bus network, cut costs

The Azores Regional Government says a new public transport network for São Miguel will add 102 daily schedules during term time, aiming to guarantee school transport for all students on the island in 2026/2027. The measure combines regular public bus routes with specialised service contracts where no suitable public line exists. Responding to a Bloco de Esquerda inquiry, the executive said it expects school transport spending to fall next year. Six school units will need specific contracts costing a total of around 807,500 euros, down from roughly 1.15 million euros across 13 units in 2025/2026.

AzoresEnergy, Water & MobilityRead more at Açoriano Oriental ↗

Opinion piece challenges Porto's anti-car mobility policies

An opinion article criticises the growing tendency among mayors of Portugal's major cities, particularly Porto's, to deliberately restrict car use through narrower lanes, removed parking and closed streets, aiming to make public transport comparatively more attractive. The author argues this approach ignores how people actually travel, often chaining multiple stops that public transport cannot serve well, and disproportionately harms suburban residents, the elderly and those with limited mobility. Citing TomTom data showing Porto had the highest average congestion among Portuguese cities analysed in 2025, the piece contends that restricting cars redistributes traffic rather than eliminating it, with real economic and social costs.

NorteEnergy, Water & MobilityRead more at Observador ↗

Aveiro launches €36.2 million waste collection tender

Aveiro's municipal council unanimously approved an international public tender for waste collection, transport and urban cleaning services, with a base value of around €36.2 million over eight years. The sum is more than triple the previous contract's €11.2 million. Mayor Luís Souto Miranda attributed the rise to higher quality demands and broader sector-wide cost pressures affecting municipalities across Portugal. The new contract also covers the Municipal Ecocentre, includes stricter monitoring with unannounced inspections and penalties for non-compliance, and expands cleaning coverage, including at São Jacinto beach. The current contract has been extended six months to allow the tender process to finish.

CentroProducts, Consumption & CircularMore on this story →

Aveiro council clears audit hurdle for €22m sports pavilion

Aveiro's municipal council has received approval ('visto') from the Court of Auditors for the construction of the new Municipal Pavilion - Sports Workshop, a €22.1 million project. Mayor Luís Souto Miranda announced the clearance during a public council meeting, saying work should start soon. The contract was awarded in May after a third public tender, with a 540-day execution deadline. The facility, to be built near the Mário Duarte Municipal Stadium, will include four multi-sport courts, one with stands for 2,500 spectators, plus a gym, training rooms, an auditorium and areas for rehabilitation and club use.

CentroConstruction & HousingRead more at Diário de Aveiro ↗

Arronches sports hall gets LED lighting upgrade

The Municipality of Arronches has replaced the lighting fixtures at the town's sports hall, installing LED canopy lights with power ratings between 67 and 200 watts in place of the previous luminaires. The council says the new lighting improves conditions for sports activities and increases energy efficiency, while the LED fixtures last longer and are less likely to fail, reducing replacement needs. The project is part of the municipality's strategy to meet the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, particularly those on affordable energy, infrastructure, sustainable communities, and responsible production and consumption.

AlentejoEnergy, Water & MobilityRead more at Jornal Alto Alentejo ↗

Good to know

Coimbra to host 10th National Forest Congress in October

The Agrarian School of the Polytechnic University of Coimbra (ESAC) will host the 10th National Forest Congress from 5 to 9 October. Organised by the Portuguese Society of Forest Sciences, the event is themed 'Forest, People and Territory: Sustainable Connections'. It comes amid growing recognition of Portugal's forest as a shared environmental, social and economic asset important for public wellbeing.

CentroEcosystems & BiodiversityRead more at Notícias de Coimbra ↗

Global forestry sector cuts emissions intensity by 29%

An international report by the International Council of Forest and Paper Associations (ICFPA) shows the forestry and forest-based products sector has cut greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 29% since 2004/2005. Biomass and other renewable fuels now cover 66% of factories' energy needs. The report, covering 16 associations in 27 countries, also notes 51% of purchased wood fibre now comes from sustainably certified forests, up 39 percentage points since 2000, while 62% of paper and cardboard consumed globally is recycled into new products. Water use intensity, sulphur dioxide emissions and workplace incident rates also improved.

Energy, Water & MobilityRead more at Vida Rural ↗

Sagres fortress to host climate talks on cultural landscape

The Fortaleza de Sagres will host the "Conversas Climáticas Intergeracionais" event on 5 and 6 October, bringing together site managers, local partners, young professionals and experts to discuss how climate change affects the cultural landscape around the Sagres promontory. The programme includes presentations, participatory workshops, artistic performances and site visits, with confirmed guests including representatives of Europa Nostra, ICLEI Europe and regional nature conservation bodies. The gathering aims to produce a document with recommendations on adaptation measures. Registration is free via email.

AlgarveEducation & Eco-tourismMore on this story →

Viana do Castelo hosts S+T+ARTS Day on Saturday

Viana do Castelo holds the S+T+ARTS Day – AQUA MOTION & Viana STARTS on Saturday, 3 October, closing the programme of five S+T+ARTS AQUA MOTION residencies running until 11 October. The day includes a conversation, a visit to the Viana STARTS work, and the Hydro Play Tour, an afternoon experience created by Space Transcribers for Portugal's representation at the Venice Architecture Biennale. Events start at the Praia Norte building. Participation is free but requires prior registration.

NorteEducation & Eco-tourismRead more at Alto Minho ↗

LIPOR Academy to showcase corporate training at Porto HR fair

LIPOR Academy will take part for the second year running in UP – Formação Contínua & RH, held on 15 and 16 October at Exponor in Porto. It will run a stand presenting its training offer, with emphasis on customised corporate training solutions tailored to each organisation's environmental needs. These programmes complement LIPOR Academy's wider catalogue of courses in its areas of expertise. The event's second edition brings together training providers, HR departments and professionals. Visitors can request an invitation via a link provided by LIPOR Academy.

NorteEducation & Eco-tourismRead more at Ambiente Magazine ↗

Car dealers warn electric vehicles will reshape after-sales business

At the ACAP Auto'26 Forum in Lisbon, executives from Santogal, Caetano Retail and Rodda said rising numbers of electric vehicles will sharply cut dealerships' after-sales revenue, since EVs require far less mechanical servicing, no oil or filters. Eduardo Lupi and Paulo Araújo said mechanics work will be hit hardest, unlike bodywork and paint, and called for new revenue lines such as tyres or windscreen replacement, plus pressure on importers over repair costs. ACAP's president also raised concerns about imported used cars undermining the new-car market and called for a review of vehicle taxation.

LisbonEnergy, Water & MobilityRead more at Jornal PT Green ↗

EDP scales up AI use across 12,000 employees

At its third AI Summit, held on 15-16 September, EDP detailed how artificial intelligence is spreading through the company: around 12,000 employees use generative AI tools, over 10,000 AI agents operate internally, and the firm estimates annual savings of 1.8 million hours. Tools like Microsoft Copilot, GitHub Copilot and the EVA customer assistant, which handles 36% of interactions autonomously, are already in use, alongside more than 60 implemented AI cases. EDP says it wants to move from experimentation to large-scale transformation, while keeping judgement and accountability with humans rather than machines.

Energy, Water & MobilityRead more at Jornal PT Green ↗

Close to home: food, gardens and gatherings

Leiria farmer keeps centuries-old grass pea tradition alive

In Almoster, near Alvaiázere, Arlindo Paixão continues a family tradition passed down from his grandparents, growing, selecting and milling chícharo, a traditional legume, trying to make use of everything the crop produces. His work is intensifying ahead of Alvaiázere's annual festival dedicated to the chícharo, which returns from 2 to 5 October. The event celebrates a crop long rooted in the region's rural culture and economy.

CentroFood & AgricultureRead more at Região de Leiria ↗

Chef Fábio Bernardino returns to Alvaiázere's Chícharo Festival

Chef Fábio Bernardino, known for promoting healthy, sustainable and affordable food and for tackling food waste, is returning to Alvaiázere for the Chícharo Festival. He has been a regular presence at the event since 2022 and appears often on Portuguese television. The festival celebrates chícharo, a local legume, highlighting its rustic character and regional identity.

CentroFood & AgricultureRead more at Região de Leiria ↗

Pico launches first LUME gastronomy festival this Saturday

Lajes do Pico, on Pico island in the Azores, hosts the first edition of the LUME gastronomy festival this Saturday. Created by chefs Rafael Ávila Melo and Franco Pinilla of restaurant Bioma, the event centres on food cooked over open fire, local produce and community, aiming to promote the island's volcanic territory and culinary heritage. It brings together chefs from across the Azores and Madeira, a central communal kitchen, a slow-roasted Ramo Grande DOP beef dish, volcanic wine producers, live music and areas for local farmers and artisans.

AzoresFood & AgricultureRead more at Açoriano Oriental ↗

Terras sem Sombra festival debuts in Fronteira on 10-11 October

The Terras sem Sombra festival holds its first edition in Fronteira on 10 and 11 October, with free activities in Fronteira and Cabeço de Vide combining music, heritage and biodiversity. The programme includes a guided reading of the 1384 Battle of Atoleiros landscape, a concert by Costa Rica's Cuarteto de Guitarras at the Igreja do Espírito Santo, and a walk linking the Termas da Sulfúrea's mineral waters to the Ribeira da Vide valley ecosystem. The Fronteira leg is held in partnership with the local municipality. The festival continues on 17 and 18 October in Portalegre with a concert by the Polish Violin Duo.

AlentejoEducation & Eco-tourismRead more at Jornal Alto Alentejo ↗

Lagoa to host Autumn Mediterranean Garden Fair

The Autumn Mediterranean Garden Fair will take place on 17 and 18 October, from 10am to 5pm, at FATACIL. The event focuses on designing attractive, sustainable Mediterranean-style gardens and landscapes that use minimal water, reflecting growing interest in drought-tolerant gardening approaches suited to the region's climate.

AlgarveEducation & Eco-tourismRead more at The Portugal News ↗

Arroios lets residents adopt 44 green spaces from October

Lisbon's Arroios parish council is launching a scheme from 1 October letting residents, workers or locals 'adopt' neglected green spaces. Of 44 identified gardens and flowerbeds, 10 to 12 will be available in the first round. Applicants must attend a welcome session before taking charge of a space for a renewable one-year period. The initiative, shaped with input from gardener Nuno Prates, who pioneered informal 'guerrilla gardening' in nearby Alvalade, aims to build community involvement given the council's limited maintenance resources, while council staff will still handle heavier tasks like clearing waste.

LisbonCommunity & Social InnovationRead more at Mensagem de Lisboa ↗
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