Portugal Minister emphasizes national resilience against natural calamities

Portugal’s Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, stated during a parliamentary hearing that while it is difficult for any nation to be fully prepared for large-scale calamities, the government is focused on increasing national resilience through recovery and repair efforts.

During the hearing for the Commission on National Resilience and Natural Disaster Prevention, the Minister cited several recent major events, including the 2024 Algarve drought, rural fires, a 2025 blackout, and a 2026 storm sequence. Regarding the storms that hit the central region earlier this year, Carvalho noted that effective forecasting by the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) and the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) allowed for proactive measures, such as emptying dams to manage heavy rainfall.

Specific recovery efforts mentioned include emergency interventions in affected municipalities, such as the €3.6 million reconstruction of the dike and irrigation canal between the Coimbra woods and the Rego canal.