Hands off coastal Alentejo! Activists protest against “brutal consequences” of government policies

With the government intent on mapping Portugal’s mineral resources with a view to extraction/ simplifying rules for renewable energy projects, everyday citizens coming together as an environmental platform took advantage of a music festival in Sines this weekend to say “hands off the coastal Alentejo” – already the site of endless hectares of agricultural ‘explorations’ that have changed the face of the region (and ravaged many of its resources). The message from the protest was that people concerned for the environment from Tróia to Odeceixe feel they are locked in a cycle of rising concerns, facing “the brutal consequences of touristic activities, intensive agriculture, the energetic transition, mining projects and the exportation of live animals”.