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Participação Pública - Questões Significativas para a Gestão da Água para elaboração do Plano de Gestão de Região Hidrográfica dos Açores 2028-2033
Regional Government marks World Environment Day by promoting initiatives across all islands and launching new educational resource
Radar on Flores Island puts Azores at "forefront" of weather monitoring, stresses José Manuel Bolieiro
The signs that Humanity's environmental, economic and social sustainability must go hand in hand in combating the countless threats they face are increasingly evident. This collective awareness has led the world and community agendas for sustainability to become increasingly ambitious, clear and urgent.
In this cause that belongs to everyone, we embrace and face the challenges head-on, and we do so with a sense of responsibility and with the full conviction that we are on the right path to make this island territory a reference region in the field of sustainable development.
In this context, the Regional Directorate for the Environment and Climate Change, within the scope of the competences attributed to it, which pass through Nature Conservation, with the management of protected areas and species and habitats of the Natura 2000 Network, and the promotion of Environmental Quality, in the components of climate change, environmental noise, air quality and waste, it contributes to the macro objective of, taking advantage of the geostrategic position of the Azores and its wealth in terms of resources, to promote its diversity, scale and area of influence.
Thus, we seek to reconcile different uses, activities and interests, in a context of public utility, promoting its biophysical integrity and the conservation of its natural and landscape values, and ensuring, in this small dispersed territory and limited resources, simultaneously, the quality of population life and the existence of high environmental quality standards, emphasizing sustainability and resilience.
This is our vision and it is what we strive for!
June 6, 2025
Participação Pública - Questões Significativas para a Gestão da Água para elaboração do Plano de Gestão de Região Hidrográfica dos Açores 2028-2033
O processo de planeamento para a gestão operacional de recursos hídricos da Região Hidrográfica dos Açores (RH9) integra um faseamento adaptado à realidade insular da Região Autónoma dos Açores (RAA), em que a implementação do 4.º ciclo do Plano de Gestão de Região Hidrográfica dos Açores (PGRH-Açores), correspondente ao período 2028-2033, não constitui um produto estanque, ao invés preconiza um conjunto de ações que visam avaliar o impacte gerado pelo programa de medidas adotado nos ciclos anteriores. De igual modo, essa apreciação sustenta a atual e posteriores atualizações cíclicas do próprio PGRH-Açores, estabelecendo-se, deste modo, um processo cíclico de gestão dos recursos hídricos da Região Autónoma dos Açores. A atualização e revisão necessária em cada ciclo de planeamento implica, em cada região hidrográfica, a realização das seguintes fases de trabalho, de acordo com os prazos previstos na Diretiva Quadro da Água (DQA)/ Lei da Água (LA): O calendário e programa de trabalhos para a elaboração do plano, até três anos antes do início do PGRH - 2025; A síntese das Questões Significativas relativas à Gestão da Água (QSiGA) identificadas na região hidrográfica até dois anos antes do início do PGRH - 2026; O projeto do Plano de Gestão de Região Hidrográfica dos Açores até um ano antes do início do PGRH-Açores - 2027. Atualmente, já tiveram início os trabalhos de revisão conducentes ao 4.º ciclo de planeamento (PGRH-Açores 2028-2033), estando a decorrer a fase referente à revisão das Questões Significativas para a Gestão da Água (QSiGA), de acordo com o cronograma de implementação da DQA e da LA. A identificação das QSiGA deve ponderar: as pressões sobre as massas de águas interiores, de transição e costeiras resultantes de ações antrópicas, os impactes resultantes dessas ações, bem como os aspetos relacionados com a gestão, a valorização e a governança da água (de ordem normativa, organizacional, económica ou outros), que dificultem ou coloquem em causa o cumprimento dos objetivos da DQA/LA. Este processo de identificação e proposta das QSiGA para a RH9, deve igualmente promover a reflexão de diversas partes interessadas e do público em geral, para consulta e recolha de sugestões. Assim, e numa etapa preliminar ao processo formal de consulta e discussão pública das QSiGA (que decorrerá ao longo do primeiro semestre de 2026), o presente Inquérito - Questões Significativas para a Gestão da Água (QSiGA), no qual consta documento de descrição da QSIGA para apoiar e orientar o processo de participação, tem por objetivo recolher sugestões e contributos iniciais da população em geral às QSiGA. Os resultados desta consulta e a versão preliminar de QSiGA serão posteriormente analisadas em conjunto com diversas entidades e colocadas a discussão pública. Assim, pretende-se com este processo defender um acréscimo do envolvimento do público na tomada de decisão, no que respeita aos temas relacionados com a água, que o possam afetar, estimular o desenvolvimento de transparência na tomada de decisão e contribuir para o alcance dos objetivos ambientais estabelecidos nos normativos em vigor. Participe! A participação ativa e consciente de todos os interessados, quer se tratem de pessoas coletivas ou singulares, tem um papel de especial relevância na implementação da DQA/LA.
June 5, 2025
Regional Government marks World Environment Day by promoting initiatives across all islands and launching new educational resource
With a view to celebrating World Environment Day, observed today, the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action has organised various initiatives taking place across all the Azorean islands between May 31 and June 8. They are intended to raise awareness, inform and involve citizens in environmental preservation, nature conservation and the adoption of more sustainable practices. During the day, the Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, attended several events in Horta to mark the occasion. These included the prize-delivery ceremony for the "Climate Innovation" ideas competition, promoted by the Regional Directorate for the Environment and Climate Action, as well as the Eco-Schools flag-raising ceremony at the António José de Ávila School. "These initiatives acknowledge the merit and involvement of our young people in environmental issues, encouraging innovation and critical thinking in the search for solutions and contributions to the sustainable development of our islands," stated Alonso Miguel. "The celebration of World Environment Day represents an opportunity that encourages us to reflect on our behaviour and the role that each of us can play in protecting the planet," he continued. The occasion was also marked by the launch of the board game "Discovering the Protected Areas of the Azores," aimed at elementary school students, which was promoted with a class from the aforementioned school. “The game invites students and teachers to learn more about the extraordinary natural heritage of the Azores, exploring our protected areas in a dynamic and accessible way, their role in biodiversity conservation and ecosystem balance, and how we can contribute to their preservation,” he added. The Regional Secretary emphasised that "this new educational resource represents another teaching tool created to bring children and young people even closer to the environment and nature surrounding them." According to Alonso Miguel, "the Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action has been strengthening its commitment to environmental education year after year as a way of raising awareness and involving the school community in major environmental issues. This has been achieved through the School Awareness Activities Programme, which is available to all schools in the Region and will now be joined by this new teaching resource." The government official revealed that "since the launch of the School Environmental Awareness Activities Programme in 2022, 2,370 activities have been organised, involving more than 51 thousand participants. These impressive figures reflect the positive and growing impact of these activities in the Azorean school context, with significant repercussions on environmental awareness." Alonso Miguel stated that "the programme of activities prepared as part of the World Environment Day celebrations includes thematic workshops, coastal clean-up operations, planting of endemic species, interpretive visits to natural areas, in addition to cultural and recreational activities, including theatre, music, dance and educational games, aimed at different age groups.” Alonso Miguel also highlighted the screening of the documentary "Climate Change – What Future for the Azores?" across all islands. This initiative is promoted by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action and is targeted at the general public, but with a special focus on secondary school students. "With this documentary, we want to inform and raise awareness of the challenges that climate change poses to our archipelago, promoting a change in attitudes and a commitment, both individual and collective, to environmental sustainability," he stressed. According to the Regional Secretary, "a week full of activities has been prepared on all islands, aimed not only at schoolchildren but also at families and the community in general, to promote environmental awareness and the sustainable development of our islands.” He added that "the activities prepared involve the collaboration and participation of various partner entities, including environmental non-governmental organisations, educational institutions and private entities.” Alonso Miguel concluded by stating that these initiatives strengthen the Region's commitment to environmental preservation, protection of natural heritage and promotion of sustainable development in the Azores.