The Atlantic Climate Observatory (OCA), to be managed by the IPMA, will be established and equipped with infrastructure and devices aimed at measuring various atmospheric climate variables, as detailed in documents available to the agency Lusa.
The Azorean government’s preliminary proposals (PSD/CDS-PP/PPM) for 2026 include the implementation of a flood alert system in the region’s high-risk river basins and the development of basic natural risk mapping.
Additionally, a support system is planned to address “losses and damages resulting from extreme weather events” and “investments aimed at mitigating climate change impacts.”
The Azorean government also intends to install natural risk monitoring networks and develop detailed natural risk mapping.
In the draft Plan and Budget for the Azores for 2026, which allocates six million euros less for sustainability, climate action, and risk management compared to the previous year, the government aims to equip the Regional Public Administration with “resources and operational equipment designed for intervention in an extensive hydrographic network” for cleaning and maintenance, minimizing erosion effects, and preventing hydrological risks.
Interventions in trails located in island natural parks, overseen by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Change, including the acquisition of hiker counting stations, modernization of recycling and waste treatment processes, and investments in environmental education and citizenship, are also priorities.
The implementation of the action plan for the Santa Maria Paleopark, Action Plans for UNESCO Classified Areas of the Azores, and various measures in the Vineyard Culture Landscape of Pico Island, along with physico-chemical sampling of water bodies in the lakes of São Miguel, Pico, Flores, and Corvo, and a ventilation system for Lagoa das Furnas, are among the planned investments.
In the area of Civil Protection, the Azorean government intends to create a self-financing model to ensure “financial sustainability and predictability” for the Firefighter Associations of the Azores and establish a legal framework for firefighters in the archipelago.
Ten rescue ambulances are to be acquired for the islands of Terceira, São Miguel, São Jorge, Faial, Pico, and Flores, and the overhaul of the Azorean Civil Protection’s IT network and uniform procurement is planned.
The documents also propose the elaboration of the project for the construction of the Nordeste fire station and the renovation project of the Vila Franca do Campo fire station, both on São Miguel. The execution of the protocol between the Azorean Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service and the Azorean Seismo-Volcanic Information and Surveillance Center (CIVISA), and support for emergency land transports are included.
The draft Plan and Budget for the Azores also cover costs for ambulance crew members, such as salaries, kilometers traveled, ambulance insurance, and maritime evacuations from Pico to Faial.
These documents were sent on Tuesday by the Azorean government to the Island Councils and the Economic and Social Council, with the deadline for submission to the Regional Assembly set for October 30.
The Plan and Budget for the Azores for 2026 will be discussed and voted on in November in the Regional Assembly.
