Cristina Daniel, Executive Director of ENA, stressed that these plans will contribute to a territory less vulnerable, safer, and more resilient to the impacts and risks of climate change, able to anticipate, respond and adapt to a changing climate context. Fábio Cardona, ENA's Technician, detailed the different phases that will guide the elaboration of the plans and identified the main climate risks for the three municipalities.
In this project, ENA counts with the partnership of the Municipalities of Setúbal, Palmela and Sesimbra, the Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning (IGOT, University of Lisbon) and the NOVA School of Science and Technology (FCT NOVA). The project will also count in the elaboration of the plans with the fundamental participation of key actors, public and private, and the local community.
The seminar also included the sharing of different local adaptation experiences to climate change, in a panel initiated by Carlos Bernardes, Mayor of Torres Vedras, who explained the main strategies and initiatives leveraged by this municipality to increase the resilience of its territory, detailing some of the adaptation measures implemented (coastal rehabilitation and protection, environmental and landscape requalification, construction of green areas, prevention of forest fires, preventive forestry and awareness, among others).
The Municipality of Loulé, represented by Lídia Terra, from the Municipal Directorate of Environment and Sustainable Development, presented the various climate action tools for reducing the vulnerability of the territory to extreme weather events and increasing its adaptive capacity (plans, studies, strategies, partnerships and living labs), which includes engaging dynamics of social and economic agents, information, education and awareness-raising actions.
Presenting the example of Cascais Municipality, João Dinis, Coordinator of the Urban Transition Acceleration Division of Cascais Environment, shared the elaboration and implementation of the Action Plan for Climate Change Adaptation of this municipality, a coordinated transversal work, with measures focused on the preservation of natural heritage, water supply resilience, civil protection, spatial planning, as well as information and capacity building initiatives involving the whole civil community.
In conclusion, the municipality of Leiria, represented by Daniela Dias, responsible for the Environment and Health Division, George Silva, responsible for the Municipal Sports and Youth Division and Carla Faustino, from the Municipal Water and Sanitation Services of Leiria, detailed the strategic objectives and the priority actions included in its local climate adaptation plan, exemplifying some measures such as the improvement of the energy efficiency conditions of the municipal swimming pool complex and the awareness actions of the population on the rational consumption of water.
The seminar "Arrábida facing the climate challenge" gathered more than one hundred participants interested in the climate change issue. The presentations and the video of the session are available on the ENA website (http://www.ena.com.pt/?cix=projetos119135&curr=790&lang=1).