50 Azorean parishes distinguished with Eco-Parish Excellence Award - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática

This Monday, the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action awarded the Excellence Prize to 50 parishes in the Azores under the Eco-Parish programme at a ceremony held in Santa Cruz da Graciosa.

On the occasion, the Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, stated that "the Eco-Parish Programme plays a fundamental role as a strategic cooperation tool between the Regional Government and the parish councils of the Azores for the cleaning and maintenance of public spaces, including water lines and the coastline. This effort involves the population in environmental awareness and education actions."

Alonso Miguel noted that "clean public spaces and unobstructed streams, combined with good environmental practices on the part of the population, are fundamental for reducing the risk of various natural hazards, such as floods and landslides. These aspects are a decisive contribution to safeguarding the population and avoiding huge material and financial losses, which is extremely important on islands like ours, as they are subject to increased vulnerability to climate change effects."

The Regional Secretary added that "the Regional Government has sought to improve the Eco-Parish, above all, by increasing the investment allocated to this programme, thereby making a fundamental contribution to empowering Parish Councils to firmly tackle the enormous challenges associated with cleaning and maintaining public spaces, protecting people and property, and preserving our environmental heritage."

"As of 2023, the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action has more than doubled the annual investment in this programme compared to 2020, increasing the allocation for this programme from less than half a million Euros to one million Euros to be distributed among the registered parishes," he said.

Alonso Miguel pointed out that "in 2024, 135 parishes joined this programme, whose joint work made it possible to monitor and take action in over 266 kilometres of streams and 85 kilometres of coastline, in addition to organising 528 awareness-raising and environmental education actions. As a result, around 4,385 tonnes of waste disposed of in public spaces were removed, a significant figure, five times higher than the 867 tonnes collected in 2023."

"These are, in fact, extraordinary figures, which evidence the importance of this programme but, above all, demonstrate the awareness, commitment and engagement of our Parish Councils, with the involvement and active participation of their populations in preserving our environmental quality and promoting the sustainable development of our islands," he added.

Alonso Miguel also stated that, as part of this ceremony, "50 parishes from the nine islands of the Azores that stood out in 2024 in their efforts to clean up, maintain and raise environmental awareness, with the involvement of the population, were distinguished with the Award of Excellence and granted an additional prize of one thousand Euros."

The government official pointed out that "awarding these prizes for excellence is a fair recognition of the efforts made by each parish council and the commitment dedicated to this cause by their respective populations."

In 2024, in addition to the Municipality of Vila do Corvo, the following Parish Councils were awarded the Eco-Freguesia Programme Excellence Award: Fajã Grande, Lajedo and Ponta Delgada, Flores Island; Praia do Norte, Ribeirinha, Capelo, Cedros, Salão, Angústias, and Pedro Miguel, Faial Island; São Mateus, Candelária, Madalena, Prainha, Piedade and Calheta de Nesquim, Pico Island; Rosais, Norte Pequeno and Santo Antão, São Jorge Island; Santa Cruz da Graciosa; Relva, Fajã de Cima, Conceição, Ribeirinha, Maia, Ribeira Chã, Santa Cruz, Ribeira Seca, Santana and Algarvia, São Miguel Island; São Sebastião, Raminho, Altares, São Bartolomeu de Regatos, São Mateus da Calheta, Doze Ribeiras, Feteira, São Bento, Terra Chã, Ribeirinha, Porto Judeu, Santa Bárbara, Fonte do Bastardo, Agualva, Fontinhas, Lajes, Vila Nova and Porto Martins, Terceira Island; and Santo Espírito, Santa Maria Island.