In a statement, the Ministry of Environment and Energy announces that the implementation of actions will be carried out by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and the company Águas do Algarve, extending until 2025.
The Algarve is one of the regions in the country most affected by drought, and the Government’s expectation is that this investment of one million euros will make “a significant difference in the management of water resources in the region,” says the ministry.
This funding from the Environmental Fund for public awareness actions “is fundamental” to help “change behaviors and promote efficient use of water resources,” which have been decreasing in the region’s reserves due to the drought scenario affecting the Algarve, the ministry emphasizes.
“With an investment of one million euros from the Environmental Fund, this initiative aims to promote awareness among the population and the regional economy about the importance of efficient management of water resources, particularly in a context of increasing scarcity,” the statement reads.
Quoted in the note, the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, considers that “drought is an increasingly present reality in the Algarve, and raising public awareness is fundamental to change behaviors and ensure efficient management of regional water resources.”
The newly approved action plan allows not only to take “an important step towards a more sustainable future for the region” but also to promote “water culture and empower communities to face drought challenges,” justifies Maria da Graça Carvalho.
The protocol signed with the Environmental Fund includes a set of awareness actions and campaigns in schools, the production of informative materials for the population, and the organization of events, the ministry indicates.
“The objective is to promote the adoption of more efficient practices in water use, both in the domestic and agricultural sectors,” it states.
The educational actions will take place until November 2025, involving about 1,500 participants, including students, teachers, and volunteers from 10 Algarve schools, and will count on the collaboration of 20 public and private entities.
“This protocol is not just an administrative agreement, but a commitment to the future of the environment. The actions defined in this plan have the potential to transform how the community in the Algarve perceives and uses its water resources,” argues the minister.
The Algarve is one of the regions in Portugal most affected by drought, and the Government has been adopting a set of measures to increase water reserves in the region and preserve available ones, but also to preserve economic activities that depend on this resource, such as tourism or agriculture.
The sharp reduction in available reserves had led the previous Government, led by the PS, to impose a set of restrictions on water consumption in the region, mainly affecting agriculture.
After the rains of last winter and spring provided an increase in available water levels in the Algarve’s dams and aquifers, the current Government eased the limitations that had been imposed on agriculture.
Despite the relief, the Government warned that the drought had not ended and would continue to adopt measures to combat it and promote efficient water use, such as the one now announced, which provides one million euros for public awareness actions.
