Environmental opposition to mining in Portugal and wildfire risks in Brazil

In Portugal, the environmental organization Quercus has issued an unfavorable opinion regarding the ‘Royal China Clay’ mining concession (C-185) in Peniche. The project, managed by MOTAMINERAL – Minerais Industriais, S.A., aims to extract kaolin and clays for Mota Ceramic Solutions over a 20-year period covering more than 100 hectares. Quercus, alongside the municipalities of Peniche and Óbidos, opposes the project due to potential cumulative regional impacts and risks to aquifers. The organization has also criticized the timing of the public consultation, which coincides with the summer holiday period.

Separately, agricultural guidelines in Brazil are highlighting the ‘four-thirty’ phenomenon to increase rural fire prevention. This high-risk condition occurs when four specific metrics meet the number 30: 30 days without rain, relative humidity below 30%, temperatures exceeding 30°C, and wind speeds above 30 km/h. Under these conditions, authorities advise rural producers to suspend all activities involving fire and intensify monitoring to prevent large-scale wildfires.