Portugal Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho drives beach‑map plan and climate‑refuge projects

Environment Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho urged municipalities to place simple maps on beaches to delineate concession zones and prevent disputes over the placement of sun‑shade structures. She said the maps are a recommendation, not a legal requirement, and that local councils have welcomed the idea.

In Beja, the municipality signed a protocol with the Agência Pró‑Clima to establish a Climate Refuge under the PRO NAT. URBE programme. The project, running to 2028, will restore urban green cover, plant about 270 new trees, create shaded areas, rehabilitate water bodies and develop a 2.5‑km green corridor, aiming to reduce the urban heat‑island effect and provide safe cooling spaces for vulnerable residents.

Lisbon’s city council approved a revision of the classification of several urban green areas so that climate‑refuge sites can remain open during heat‑alert periods. The council also adopted the Climate Contract 2030, a plan committing more than €8.2 billion to achieve an 80 % cut in greenhouse‑gas emissions by 2030, improve resilience to extreme weather and promote a just transition.

Separately, the EMARP agency, together with the Portimão municipality, installed new environmental signage and ecopoints in the Quinta da Rocha area to encourage responsible waste disposal and raise awareness of the impact of litter on natural ecosystems.