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Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática
Alonso Miguel highlights waste recovery growth in the Azores and record reduction in landfill disposal
Alonso Miguel highlights waste recovery growth in the Azores and record reduction in landfill disposal
Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática
Regional Government promotes training on enforcement in nature conservation and biodiversity protection
Regional Government promotes training on enforcement in nature conservation and biodiversity protection
Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática
Regional Government marks International Day for Biological Diversity with awareness-raising and environmental education initiatives
Regional Government marks International Day for Biological Diversity with awareness-raising and environmental education initiatives
July 15, 2026
Alonso Miguel highlights waste recovery growth in the Azores and record reduction in landfill disposal
July 7, 2026
Regional Government promotes training on enforcement in nature conservation and biodiversity protection
May 22, 2026
Regional Government marks International Day for Biological Diversity with awareness-raising and environmental education initiatives
News
Nota de Imprensa
July 15, 2026
Alonso Miguel highlights waste recovery growth in the Azores and record reduction in landfill disposal
The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, highlighted the results achieved by the Autonomous Region of the Azores in urban waste management in 2025, emphasising that the figures now released confirm the consolidation of a strategy based on the principles of the circular economy and resource recovery. According to the 2025 Annual Urban Waste Report, drawn up by the Regional Directorate for the Environment and Climate Action, the Azores produced 153,969 tonnes of urban waste, a marginal increase of just 0.4% compared with the previous year, continuing the trend towards stabilisation in waste production observed in recent years. For Alonso Miguel, these results demonstrate that “the Region has been consolidating a more efficient and sustainable waste management model, which prioritises recovery over disposal, progressively reducing dependence on landfill sites and bringing the Azores closer to European best environmental practices.” The report reveals that 82% of the urban waste produced in 2025 was processed for recovery, specifically 28% for material recovery, 29% for organic recovery and 25% for energy recovery. Conversely, landfill disposal once again saw a significant reduction, accounting for just 18% of the total urban waste produced – a figure well below the interim target of 30% set for 2025 in the Strategic Waste Prevention and Management Programme for the Azores (PEPGRA 20+). According to the government official, “although most of the islands, including São Miguel, have met the targets set for 2025, and even though we are clear leaders in this indicator at national level, the Region’s overall result nevertheless remains below the 55% target set by European directives and the PEPGRA 20+.” He added that “this result was significantly affected by the rate of preparation for reuse and recycling achieved on Terceira Island, which, despite showing a slight improvement in 2025, rising to 22%, remains far from the established target.” “However, the results achieved on Terceira Island show a positive trend, something that had not been seen in recent years. Given the ongoing efforts to implement projects aimed at improving waste management on the island, through coordinated action among the Regional Government, the Municipal Councils of Angra do Heroísmo and Praia da Vitória, and TERAMB, it will certainly be possible to accelerate the growth in the preparation rate for reuse and recycling on the island of Terceira, towards meeting the targets set for 2030,” he stated. The Regional Secretary acknowledged that “significant challenges remain, particularly in terms of waste prevention and the selective collection of bio-waste.” In this regard, he noted that “the report shows that urban waste generation increased by 6% compared with 2019, exceeding the regional prevention target, and the selective collection of bio-waste continues to fall short of the defined targets.” “We are aware that the coming years will be crucial for consolidating the results achieved, and that the selective collection of bio-waste is a strategic priority, as, from 2027 onwards, only bio-waste collected separately will count towards meeting European recycling targets,” he emphasised. Alonso Miguel also reiterated “the Azorean Government’s commitment to continuing to invest in promoting more sustainable behaviour amongst the population, as well as in modernising waste treatment and management infrastructure, following an investment of about €10 million over the last three years in the refurbishment, modernisation and outfitting of regional Waste Processing Centres.” “The 2025 results show that the Azores are on the right track. We will continue to work to stabilise waste production, increase recycling and the recovery of materials, and accelerate the transition to a truly circular economy – one that is more efficient in the use of resources and more sustainable for future generations,” he concluded. The 2025 Annual Report on Municipal Waste is available for consultation on the Regional Government’s website via the following link: https://portal.azores.gov.pt/web/draac/residuos-srir-relatorios.
July 15, 2026
Alonso Miguel highlights waste recovery growth in the Azores and record reduction in landfill disposal
The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, highlighted the results achieved by the Autonomous Region of the Azores in urban waste management in 2025, emphasising that the figures now released confirm the consolidation of a strategy based on the principles of the circular economy and resource recovery. According to the 2025 Annual Urban Waste Report, drawn up by the Regional Directorate for the Environment and Climate Action, the Azores produced 153,969 tonnes of urban waste, a marginal increase of just 0.4% compared with the previous year, continuing the trend towards stabilisation in waste production observed in recent years. For Alonso Miguel, these results demonstrate that “the Region has been consolidating a more efficient and sustainable waste management model, which prioritises recovery over disposal, progressively reducing dependence on landfill sites and bringing the Azores closer to European best environmental practices.” The report reveals that 82% of the urban waste produced in 2025 was processed for recovery, specifically 28% for material recovery, 29% for organic recovery and 25% for energy recovery. Conversely, landfill disposal once again saw a significant reduction, accounting for just 18% of the total urban waste produced – a figure well below the interim target of 30% set for 2025 in the Strategic Waste Prevention and Management Programme for the Azores (PEPGRA 20+). According to the government official, “although most of the islands, including São Miguel, have met the targets set for 2025, and even though we are clear leaders in this indicator at national level, the Region’s overall result nevertheless remains below the 55% target set by European directives and the PEPGRA 20+.” He added that “this result was significantly affected by the rate of preparation for reuse and recycling achieved on Terceira Island, which, despite showing a slight improvement in 2025, rising to 22%, remains far from the established target.” “However, the results achieved on Terceira Island show a positive trend, something that had not been seen in recent years. Given the ongoing efforts to implement projects aimed at improving waste management on the island, through coordinated action among the Regional Government, the Municipal Councils of Angra do Heroísmo and Praia da Vitória, and TERAMB, it will certainly be possible to accelerate the growth in the preparation rate for reuse and recycling on the island of Terceira, towards meeting the targets set for 2030,” he stated. The Regional Secretary acknowledged that “significant challenges remain, particularly in terms of waste prevention and the selective collection of bio-waste.” In this regard, he noted that “the report shows that urban waste generation increased by 6% compared with 2019, exceeding the regional prevention target, and the selective collection of bio-waste continues to fall short of the defined targets.” “We are aware that the coming years will be crucial for consolidating the results achieved, and that the selective collection of bio-waste is a strategic priority, as, from 2027 onwards, only bio-waste collected separately will count towards meeting European recycling targets,” he emphasised. Alonso Miguel also reiterated “the Azorean Government’s commitment to continuing to invest in promoting more sustainable behaviour amongst the population, as well as in modernising waste treatment and management infrastructure, following an investment of about €10 million over the last three years in the refurbishment, modernisation and outfitting of regional Waste Processing Centres.” “The 2025 results show that the Azores are on the right track. We will continue to work to stabilise waste production, increase recycling and the recovery of materials, and accelerate the transition to a truly circular economy – one that is more efficient in the use of resources and more sustainable for future generations,” he concluded. The 2025 Annual Report on Municipal Waste is available for consultation on the Regional Government’s website via the following link: https://portal.azores.gov.pt/web/draac/residuos-srir-relatorios.
Nota de Imprensa
July 7, 2026
Regional Government promotes training on enforcement in nature conservation and biodiversity protection
The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, chaired the opening session of a training course on “Nature Conservation and Biodiversity Protection” held on Monday on the island of Terceira. It is aimed at organisations responsible for environmental monitoring and enforcement, which will also be held on the islands of São Miguel and Faial. Organised by the Regional Environment Inspectorate and taking place this week in Angra do Heroísmo, this training course involves 33 participants from the Nature Rangers Corps, the Nature and Environment Protection Service (SEPNA) of the National Republican Guard (GNR), the Environmental Protection Brigade (BRiPA) of the Public Security Police (PSP), and the technical teams of the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action. It aims to promote an integrated approach to environmental enforcement and strengthen cooperation among various entities responsible for nature conservation and biodiversity protection. At the opening session, Alonso Miguel considered the initiative to be of “great importance for the preservation and enhancement of the Azores’ extraordinary natural heritage. It makes a decisive contribution to the health, well-being and safety of the population, as well as to the Region’s social and economic development, particularly as a strategic tourist asset, but one that is as valuable as it is fragile.” “It is essential to achieve a balance between the responsibility to protect our natural heritage and the need to chart a development course. However, achieving, managing and maintaining this balance is highly complex in humanised landscapes such as ours, particularly at a time when we face increasingly demanding global challenges, such as climate change, environmental pollution, the destruction of ecosystems and biodiversity loss,” he said. The Regional Secretary emphasised that “the Region has managed to make remarkable progress,” noting that “the recently published results of the Synthetic Regional Development Index for 2024 clearly demonstrate the Azores’ excellent performance in terms of environmental quality, which places the archipelago at the leading edge in this indicator nationwide." In this context, he recalled that firm steps had been taken in the Region towards establishing a solid legal, regulatory and administrative framework in the areas of environmental management, nature conservation, climate action and spatial planning. The government official emphasised the importance of establishing the Azores Nature Parks and the Regional Network of Protected Areas, as well as the progress made in recent years with the approval of the new Regional Water Plan, the revision of the Azores Hydrographic Region Management Plan and the creation of the Azores Drought and Water Scarcity Management Plan. Alonso Miguel also highlighted “the approval of the new Strategic Waste Prevention and Management Programme for Azores (PEPGRA 20+) and the Circular Economy Agenda, the process of refurbishing, modernising and outfitting regional waste processing centres, representing an investment of exceeding €10 million, as well as the creation of the Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality in the Azores and the implementation of the Regional Climate Change Plan.” Alonso Miguel reiterated the Regional Government’s ongoing commitment to developing environmental policies, highlighting the recent approval of the last six Land Management Plans for Island Nature Parks. He also pointed out that the Regional Strategy for the Control and Prevention of Invasive Species is nearing completion, whilst the National Nature Restoration Plan is being prepared, which will include 56 measures specifically developed for the Azores. Alonso Miguel emphasised that “the successful implementation of environmental policies also depends on a commitment to environmental education, technical and operational capacity-building for nature conservation, and the availability of adequate resources to ensure environmental monitoring, surveillance and enforcement.” The government official highlighted “the Regional Government’s firm commitment to environmental education and literacy, whilst also recognising the work carried out within the context of Island Nature Parks, environmental centres, the Azores Geopark and the Biosphere Reserves, underlining the crucial role of the LIFE Programme, as a financial and operational tool, which has already allocated more than €45 million to the management, preservation and improvement of the Region’s protected areas.” Alonso Miguel also emphasised the “firm commitment to the training and capacity-building of technical and operational teams.” In this regard, he revealed that “more than €2.5 million has been invested to outfit the Environment and Climate Action Services on our islands over the last four years with vehicles, boats, machinery and industrial equipment, drones, uniforms and personal protective equipment.” The Regional Secretary also emphasised “the importance of the surveillance and enforcement actions carried out by the Nature Rangers, the SEPNA unit of GNR, the BRiPA unit of PSP and, in particular, the Regional Environment Inspectorate; the latter is responsible for the inter-institutional coordination of inspection activities and the processing of administrative offence proceedings in the environmental sector in the Azores.” Alonso Miguel reiterated that “the Regional Government will continue to bolster the resources allocated to environmental enforcement, noting the recent recruitment of 12 Nature Rangers and the recruitment procedures currently underway to appoint a senior inspector, a senior environmental technician and a legal expert for the Regional Environment Inspectorate.” He also highlighted the important work carried out by the Regional Environment Inspectorate in the field of training, emphasising “the course on Environmental Law and Legislation, held in 2021; the series of information and awareness-raising sessions aimed at the agricultural and livestock sector, held throughout 2023; and the training course on "approach, presentation and dialogue in enforcement actions," aimed at inspectors and Nature Rangers, held in 2024.” “We now have an active and proactive inspection service, which combines high levels of knowledge, discipline and rigour with an educational and preventive approach, and for this reason, is highly regarded and recognised both within the region and outside it,” he emphasised. This new training initiative draws on the collaboration and expertise of instructors from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), the Regional Directorate for the Environment and Climate Action, and the Regional Environment Inspectorate. According to Alonso Miguel, it represents “another important step forward in training, information-sharing, institutional coordination and improved enforcement of environmental legislation, contributing to ever more effective protection of the Region’s natural heritage and environmental quality.” The Regional Secretary paid “a well-deserved tribute to all the professionals who, every day, carry out environmental inspection, monitoring and enforcement duties, playing a key role in protecting the environment in the Azores.” The government official concluded by expressing confidence that this training will help to improve the effectiveness of environmental legislation enforcement and enhance the joint capacity to respond to the challenges of environmental protection, the conservation of natural heritage, safety and the sustainable development of the Autonomous Region of the Azores.”
July 7, 2026
Regional Government promotes training on enforcement in nature conservation and biodiversity protection
The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, chaired the opening session of a training course on “Nature Conservation and Biodiversity Protection” held on Monday on the island of Terceira. It is aimed at organisations responsible for environmental monitoring and enforcement, which will also be held on the islands of São Miguel and Faial. Organised by the Regional Environment Inspectorate and taking place this week in Angra do Heroísmo, this training course involves 33 participants from the Nature Rangers Corps, the Nature and Environment Protection Service (SEPNA) of the National Republican Guard (GNR), the Environmental Protection Brigade (BRiPA) of the Public Security Police (PSP), and the technical teams of the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action. It aims to promote an integrated approach to environmental enforcement and strengthen cooperation among various entities responsible for nature conservation and biodiversity protection. At the opening session, Alonso Miguel considered the initiative to be of “great importance for the preservation and enhancement of the Azores’ extraordinary natural heritage. It makes a decisive contribution to the health, well-being and safety of the population, as well as to the Region’s social and economic development, particularly as a strategic tourist asset, but one that is as valuable as it is fragile.” “It is essential to achieve a balance between the responsibility to protect our natural heritage and the need to chart a development course. However, achieving, managing and maintaining this balance is highly complex in humanised landscapes such as ours, particularly at a time when we face increasingly demanding global challenges, such as climate change, environmental pollution, the destruction of ecosystems and biodiversity loss,” he said. The Regional Secretary emphasised that “the Region has managed to make remarkable progress,” noting that “the recently published results of the Synthetic Regional Development Index for 2024 clearly demonstrate the Azores’ excellent performance in terms of environmental quality, which places the archipelago at the leading edge in this indicator nationwide." In this context, he recalled that firm steps had been taken in the Region towards establishing a solid legal, regulatory and administrative framework in the areas of environmental management, nature conservation, climate action and spatial planning. The government official emphasised the importance of establishing the Azores Nature Parks and the Regional Network of Protected Areas, as well as the progress made in recent years with the approval of the new Regional Water Plan, the revision of the Azores Hydrographic Region Management Plan and the creation of the Azores Drought and Water Scarcity Management Plan. Alonso Miguel also highlighted “the approval of the new Strategic Waste Prevention and Management Programme for Azores (PEPGRA 20+) and the Circular Economy Agenda, the process of refurbishing, modernising and outfitting regional waste processing centres, representing an investment of exceeding €10 million, as well as the creation of the Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality in the Azores and the implementation of the Regional Climate Change Plan.” Alonso Miguel reiterated the Regional Government’s ongoing commitment to developing environmental policies, highlighting the recent approval of the last six Land Management Plans for Island Nature Parks. He also pointed out that the Regional Strategy for the Control and Prevention of Invasive Species is nearing completion, whilst the National Nature Restoration Plan is being prepared, which will include 56 measures specifically developed for the Azores. Alonso Miguel emphasised that “the successful implementation of environmental policies also depends on a commitment to environmental education, technical and operational capacity-building for nature conservation, and the availability of adequate resources to ensure environmental monitoring, surveillance and enforcement.” The government official highlighted “the Regional Government’s firm commitment to environmental education and literacy, whilst also recognising the work carried out within the context of Island Nature Parks, environmental centres, the Azores Geopark and the Biosphere Reserves, underlining the crucial role of the LIFE Programme, as a financial and operational tool, which has already allocated more than €45 million to the management, preservation and improvement of the Region’s protected areas.” Alonso Miguel also emphasised the “firm commitment to the training and capacity-building of technical and operational teams.” In this regard, he revealed that “more than €2.5 million has been invested to outfit the Environment and Climate Action Services on our islands over the last four years with vehicles, boats, machinery and industrial equipment, drones, uniforms and personal protective equipment.” The Regional Secretary also emphasised “the importance of the surveillance and enforcement actions carried out by the Nature Rangers, the SEPNA unit of GNR, the BRiPA unit of PSP and, in particular, the Regional Environment Inspectorate; the latter is responsible for the inter-institutional coordination of inspection activities and the processing of administrative offence proceedings in the environmental sector in the Azores.” Alonso Miguel reiterated that “the Regional Government will continue to bolster the resources allocated to environmental enforcement, noting the recent recruitment of 12 Nature Rangers and the recruitment procedures currently underway to appoint a senior inspector, a senior environmental technician and a legal expert for the Regional Environment Inspectorate.” He also highlighted the important work carried out by the Regional Environment Inspectorate in the field of training, emphasising “the course on Environmental Law and Legislation, held in 2021; the series of information and awareness-raising sessions aimed at the agricultural and livestock sector, held throughout 2023; and the training course on "approach, presentation and dialogue in enforcement actions," aimed at inspectors and Nature Rangers, held in 2024.” “We now have an active and proactive inspection service, which combines high levels of knowledge, discipline and rigour with an educational and preventive approach, and for this reason, is highly regarded and recognised both within the region and outside it,” he emphasised. This new training initiative draws on the collaboration and expertise of instructors from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), the Regional Directorate for the Environment and Climate Action, and the Regional Environment Inspectorate. According to Alonso Miguel, it represents “another important step forward in training, information-sharing, institutional coordination and improved enforcement of environmental legislation, contributing to ever more effective protection of the Region’s natural heritage and environmental quality.” The Regional Secretary paid “a well-deserved tribute to all the professionals who, every day, carry out environmental inspection, monitoring and enforcement duties, playing a key role in protecting the environment in the Azores.” The government official concluded by expressing confidence that this training will help to improve the effectiveness of environmental legislation enforcement and enhance the joint capacity to respond to the challenges of environmental protection, the conservation of natural heritage, safety and the sustainable development of the Autonomous Region of the Azores.”