Countering plans for seismic activities to search for hydrocarbon resources off the Algarve coast, OceanCare and the Silent Oceans Coalition presented a Statement of Concern signed by 14 nature and species conservation organisations to the Government of Portugal on February 3, 2016.

The coalition demands that independent environmental impact assessments (EIAs) are carried out prior to any seismic activities. This demand is consistent with the EU’s EIA directive which has been revised in 2014. Prior to this revision EIAs had to be performed only for planned drillings in the seafloor, but now they are mandatory for exploration activities too.

Euro-MPs voted on 2 February 2016 to urge member states not to allow any new hydraulic fracturing operations, and although the vote is not legally binding, nonetheless opponents of fracking described it as a significant victory for the anti-fracking movement in Europe.

Antoine Simon, a campaigner for the Economic Justice Programme, said:

“This is the very first time that the European Parliament has made officially such a strong statement against fracking.” “It was an opinion report without any legally binding authority and it only targets new projects but it is still a very symbolic victory.”

"Enough is Enough!" Leonardo di Caprio demanded at the World Economic Forum that greedy oil companies and weak governments leave fossil fuels where they are - under the ground.

Tavira em Transição calls on AMAL, the association of Algarve Mayors to take up this call.

The Lisbon government has shown complete disregard for the Algarve region and its people, by signing contracts for oil and gas exploitation, putting at risk the environment and livelihoods of this natural wonder.

Portugal was among the 20 countries in the world most affected by global warming over the past 20 years, according to a Global Climate Risk Index report presented at the climate change conference in Paris.

“The Index indicates the level of exposure and vulnerability to extreme events that countries should understand as a warning to be prepared for more frequent and more severe events in the future,” says the report.

At a meeting in Tavira this past weekend, local resident spoke of his personal strategy to make an impact on waste, the environment and health in the lead up to the COP21 Climate Change conference in Paris starting today.

 "I have been living in retirement here in Tavira for the past 6 years.

SHS Solar Solutions, with 5 partners, has now opened the “SUSTAINABLE SUPERSTORE” in Amancil - All of your Energy Saving Concepts under one roof !

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Opposition against the USA's Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) approval of the first genetically engineered food animal, AquaBounty’s GMO salmon, is fiercely mounting.

The Center for Food Safety, a non-profit organization, announced plans to sue the federal agency. Grocery store chains around the country have also made commitments to not sell the controversial fish.

Dona Ana beach in Lagos, stripped of its Gold Quality status by environmental organisation Quercus, has been stripped of much of its new sand by heavy seas over the past week.

This summer's €1.8 million project to increase the size of the sand area at Dona Ana beach managed to “significantly alter the beach’s natural landscape” and also “jeopardised the conservation of highly diversified marine ecosystems,” according to the organisation as 140,000m3 of sand was added.