The Portuguese Confederation of Environmental Defense Associations (CPADA) held, on the 8th and 9th of November, the 29th National Meeting of Environmental Associations, in the parish of Tendais, municipality of Cinfães, under the motto “Restore Nature”. The meeting was attended by more than 70 environmental associations who presented and shared their daily work in the protection and restoration of Nature.
In this year’s edition, CPADA chose PROBAAL to receive the “Fernando Pereira” 2024 National Environmental Award for distinguishing itself in its actions as “environmentally friendly”.
The award was given to PROBAAL for its work “in neutralizing the 83 Megawatt Estoi Photovoltaic Plant project, which threatened to destroy 154 hectares of the National Ecological Reserve, above the Peral-Moncarapacho aquifer, in the municipality of Tavira”.
The award was presented by the president of the CPADA Executive Council, José Manuel Caetano, and by the chief of staff of the Secretary of State for the Environment, Miguel Oliveira.
The president of PROBAAL, Sofia Palmeiro, and vice-president, Amanda McGregor, received the award, who thanked their hydrologist, professor José Carvalho, engineer Cláudia Sil, and biologists from the University of Algarve, who discovered a new species: Teucrium aristatum. that doesn’t exist anywhere else in Portugal.
Thanks were also extended to the Montes Doutores da Jordana Hunting and Fishing Club and the 861 citizens and associations that participated in the public consultation and opposed the CFE project.
Regarding the work carried out recently, PROBAAL stated: “In the end, we scientifically proved that the project for the Photovoltaic Plant was planned for the wrong location and the State Environment Agency agreed. Our small community should not have had to hire hydrologists, biologists, technicians and lawyers to protect our water source – nor to protect 154 hectares of land rich in biodiversity, which is already classified by the Portuguese State as a National Ecological Reserve for recharging aquifers.” .
“Although the exercise of citizenship and collaborative action between citizens has allowed the defense of this particular territory – throughout the country, this role truly belongs to the government. Because in a small country like ours, where thousands of hectares are burned or swallowed by mining and energy projects every year, it is urgent to act. The current government must prioritize the defense of the green area that we still have, thus preserving biodiversity and the ecosystem services it provides”, he highlighted.
“Currently, the REN or RAN classification is of little use for these territories, as it does not really protect them from being an option for investors. We therefore call for a review of these laws that reflects the commitment made by Portugal to protect 30% of the territory by 2030”, he adds.
“We also believe that it is a priority to apply the recommendations agreed in the Aarhus Convention in relation to the public consultation process, and to which Portugal was a signatory. In the same way, we consider that there is an urgent need for clear legislation regarding the appropriate locations for the installation of solar and wind farms – because it can never be in the public interest to eradicate green mass and associated biodiversity”, he reinforces.
PROBAAL considers that “although it is the responsibility of the government and political decision-makers to ensure that biodiversity, land and water are protected in Portugal, it is up to all of us to ensure that they do so, because together we are building a future we believe in – where water comes first, nature comes first, people come first. And only then, everything elseE.
“The Cerro de Leiria community has already protected the same piece of REN territory three times in three decades. The next few years will be working to ensure that, once and for all, this National Ecological Reserve and its incalculable valuable ecosystem services will never be destroyed in the name of anything, or whoever”, he concludes.
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