During remarks to journalists in Mértola, located in the Beja district, the minister highlighted that the rainy winter experienced in Portugal was “an episode” and emphasized that the country must prepare for extended periods without rain.
“All the data we have from the last eight years indicate that the amount of rainfall in the southern Iberian Peninsula, particularly in Andalusia, Algarve, and Alentejo, has been decreasing, and that is what we must prepare for in the future,” the minister stressed.
Maria da Graça Carvalho addressed the journalists following a bilateral meeting of the EuroAAA – Euroregion Alentejo – Algarve – Andalusia Plenary Council, held today in Mértola.
The minister noted that, although the regions of Alentejo and Algarve currently have enough water to last “two years,” it is not the time to disregard the issues of water supply and drought.
Efforts must continue “to accelerate ongoing projects” aimed at “reducing water loss,” specifically mentioning the Pomarão water intake for the Algarve, the Albufeira desalination plant, and the hydraulic connection between the western and eastern Algarve.
The EuroAAA meeting, also attended by the President of the Junta of Andalusia, Juan Manuel Moreno Bonilla, took place at the Biological Station of Mértola.
The main objectives of the meeting were “to deepen dialogue in strategic areas such as water resource management, biodiversity, and energy, focusing on common challenges and collaboration opportunities to promote sustainable development in the southern Iberian Peninsula region.”
Regarding the new Baixo Guadiana Strategy, the Environment and Energy Minister mentioned that it results from a cooperation among the three regions of the EuroAAA, with the Guadiana River acting as a unifying element and possessing multiple dimensions.
“There is the environmental dimension, including biodiversity and river preservation, and the naturalization of riverbanks, but there is also the transportation aspect, which involves making the river more navigable and addressing the need for dredging,” she said.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to review the Euroregion’s 2023/2024 activities report and to celebrate the transition of the EuroAAA presidency to the Algarve, which will continue until 2027.
The presidency of this working community is rotational and lasts for two years for each of the regions.
