Portugal's Environment Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho advances beach access and Galé‑Fontaínhas campsite renaturalise
Portugal's Environment and Energy Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho has overseen a series of coastal and environmental initiatives. During a visit to the Alentejo municipality of Grândola she noted significant progress on public beach access, parking facilities and beach‑support structures, and called for the renaturalisation of the long‑standing Galé‑Fontaínhas camping site, describing the existing facilities as inconsistent with the area's natural value. The minister also announced the relocation of a beach‑support point at Camarinhas to improve public access and confirmed ongoing legal actions to remove illegal structures at the Raposa beach.
In parallel, the minister participated in the national “Vamos Lixar o Lixo” roadshow in Évora, part of the Portuguese Environment Agency's (APA) summer campaign to promote the separate collection and valorisation of bio‑waste. The event included quizzes, workshops and a “Mural das Desculpas” installation to encourage recycling.
The Ministry also opened a public consultation on a new regulation governing the construction and operation of hydrogen refuelling stations, aiming to provide clear safety and technical standards to support the decarbonisation of transport, including trucks, ships and aircraft.