Climate action, circular economy and safeguarding populations are priorities for the Government of the Azores - Alonso Miguel - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, presented today the priorities for the areas under his responsibility at the Regional Legislative Assembly, as part of the presentation of the Programme of the XIV Regional Government of the Azores.

"Reiterating sustainable development as the key foundation of government action is how we will provide a firm response to the challenges we face, continuing with the new paradigm of public policies that began at the end of 2020," he said, speaking in the city of Horta.

The Regional Secretary emphasised that environmental literacy "is a key element in ensuring a balance between environmental preservation and the economic and social development of the Region."

He continued: "As such, we will develop a Regional Strategy for Education and Environmental Awareness-raising, expanding the range of school environmental awareness-raising activities."

"We will also invest in the renovation, modernisation and technological innovation of the regional network of Environmental Interpretation Centres, which are an exceptional tourist asset, in addition to being a fundamental environmental education tool," he added.

There will also be a commitment, he said, "to implement projects of relevance to the Region, such as the Monitoring and Bioremediation of Contaminated Soils on Terceira Island and the drafting of the Regional Radon Plan."

The Regional Secretary explained that "as it is estimated that almost twice as many resources as the planet can generate are being consumed each year, it is essential to speed up the transition to a circular economy and focus on optimising waste management to meet the targets set at a national and EU level."

"Accordingly, we will draw up the new General Scheme for the Prevention and Management of Waste, implement the Strategic Waste Prevention and Waste Management Programme, PEPGRA 20+, and make the "Agenda for the Circular Economy of the Azores operational," he announced.

"We will also proceed with the modernisation and technological innovation of regional Waste Processing Centres and increase the investment in the Eco-Parish Programme," he continued.

For Alonso Miguel, in the efforts for the protection and revitalisation of ecosystems, "it is important to ensure a solid strategy for nature conservation and restoration."

"As such, we intend to revise the Legal Framework for Nature Conservation and Biodiversity Protection, create the Regional Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Exotic and Invasive Species, approve and revise the Management Plans for the Island Nature Parks, as well as draw up Nature Sports Charters for all the islands, determining the load capacity of protected areas under tourist pressure," he noted.

"It is essential to prepare the Region for the consequences of climate emergency, protecting people and property and safeguarding our natural heritage in the face of the serious risks involved. In this regard, we will continue to run the Regional Climate Change Programme, we will begin the implementation of the Azores Carbon Neutrality Roadmap and we will establish the Atlantic Climate Observatory in the Azores, in collaboration with IPMA-Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere," he added.

Alonso Miguel stated that "the resources available for the upgrading and maintenance of the Azores Hydrographic Network will be increased, providing all the islands with adequate operational equipment to ensure effective intervention in water lines, both in terms of prevention and response capacity in the event of occurrences."

The government official also stated that the "Flood Risk Management Plan for the Autonomous Region of the Azores will be revised and the respective emergency plans and warning systems will be drafted."

At the end of his speech, the Regional Secretary also defended that "the commitment to a well-organised and properly equipped Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service, with highly valued careers and the capacity to ensure preventive action and a swift and effective response, is essential to avoid the loss of human lives, protect property and contribute to preserving individual and collective safety."

He added: "We are committed to investing in the stability and financial predictability of the Humanitarian Associations of Firefighters by optimising the actions and coordination of all Civil Protection agents. Equally, we are committed to enhancing the fire careers, while establishing teams in the fire stations to provide immediate responses to emergencies and catastrophes.