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'The sand has gone': Portugal's €111m plan as winter storms see beaches retreat up to 20 metres

Portuguese authorities have earmarked €111 million for coastal restoration and protection.

READ MORE : http://www.euronews.com/2026/04/09/the-sand-has-gone-portugals-111m-plan-as-winter-storms-see-beaches-retreat-up-to-20-metres

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00:00The low tide gives a misleading impression of the beach's length.
00:04At São João da Caprica Beach, you can still lay out your towel,
00:08but you need to keep an eye on the tides.
00:10The sea's advance and the retreat of the shoreline are clearly visible.
00:14Located about a kilometer from the center of Lisbon,
00:17this was one of the beaches in the municipality of Almada
00:20identified by the Portuguese Environment Agency,
00:24which conducted a nationwide survey of the impacts of storms on infrastructure,
00:30coastal protection structures and coastal retreat.
00:34According to the agency, between January and February,
00:38this beach receded by a maximum of 14 meters.
00:41Seja onde havia reduna, a duna resistiu e lá está,
00:46assim que acaba a reduna.
00:48Temos um metro e meio de fosso, porque a areia foi toda.
00:52Perante o recuo das praias e os estragos provocados pelas tempestades no início do ano,
00:57o governo anunciou um plano de investimento na costa portuguesa
01:00no valor de 111 milhões de euros,
01:03sendo que 15 milhões serão já aplicados em medidas de requalificação da zona costeira
01:08antes do início da época balnear.
01:11New sand replenishment has been promised for the urban beaches of Costa da Caparica.
01:16As pessoas não percebem muito bem, porque acham que é deitar areia para o mar
01:20e é deitar dinheiro para a rua, mas não é,
01:23porque todos estes enchimentos, o que é que têm permitido?
01:26Têm permitido maior sedimentação no fundo do mar
01:30e é isto que está salvaguardar a costa.
01:34Although intensified by bad weather,
01:36coastal erosion is not unique to Costa da Caparica, nor is it a temporary phenomenon.
01:42Factors such as the accelerated rise in sea level,
01:45the increase in extreme weather events and a structural sand deficit
01:49help explain the phenomenon.
01:51Os nossos rios, devido às barragens que existem,
01:56transportam menos areia para o mar e portanto eu tenho menos areia disponível no sistema.
02:01E portanto o que acontece em muitas praias em Portugal é que de ano para ano,
02:05se não se fizer nada, a quantidade de areia na praia vai se reduzindo.
02:10As for immediate solutions,
02:12the Portuguese Environment Agency
02:14has planned projects to rebuild access roads,
02:17reinforce dune ridges,
02:19improve boardwalks and parking lots
02:21and carry out stabilisation and clean-up work.
02:24The underlying problem, however,
02:26appears to be a delicate interplay
02:28between nature and human activity.
02:30The future demands continuous adaptation,
02:33including the preservation of natural structures
02:35such as dunes,
02:36as well as better planning and land use decisions.
02:40Obrigado!
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