The Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria Graça Carvalho, emphasized her vision for the Algarve, advocating for a “greater diversity of economic activities” to “attract investment” and create “more jobs.”
“The people of the Algarve deserve an economy that is more resilient, less dependent on seasonality and international contexts. Above all, they deserve what has long been denied to them: security, predictability, and hope for the future. The certainty that they can face the present and future with confidence, rain or shine,” stated Maria Graça Carvalho during the debate ‘The Algarve is a National Priority’ at the University of Algarve on Tuesday.
— Maria Graça Carvalho (@mgracacarvalho) April 22, 2025
In March, the minister announced a relaxation of restrictions on water use and consumption in the region, highlighting that due to rainfall that month, “it has been 20 years since there was so much water in the dams” of the country’s South.
The situation in the Algarve has been improving, with an increase of 99.3 cubic hectometers (hm3) of water storage at the beginning of March compared to the same period in 2024, the minister noted. She indicated that there are conditions for a possible further easing of restrictions currently in place, whether in agriculture, urban sectors, or tourism.
The restrictions were previously imposed by the government led by António Costa (PS) in February 2024 when a drought alert was declared in the Algarve. However, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced in May a relaxation of restrictions and an increase in investments to boost water availability in the region.
