This energy is not green!

Milvoz is deeply concerned about the publication in the Diário da República declaring public interest in three solar projects in the Ega region (Condeixa-a-Nova), which will partly result in the destruction of native forest habitats composed of cork oaks and other indigenous species.

In an energy transition promoted as ‘green,’ we continue to witness the complete disregard for biodiversity conservation and native habitat protection. This is just another example in a region where there is no shortage of environmentally degraded forest areas, particularly extensive eucalyptus monocultures. These degraded zones could be replaced by photovoltaic plants without the need to cut down protected trees or destroy habitats of significant biodiversity value. Milvoz does not understand the persistence of public authorities in approving projects that damage the natural landscape when they could be implemented with far less impact in nearby degraded areas. In fact, such projects could even be integrated as a first step toward ecological restoration.

Additionally, the proposed environmental compensation measures for this project are both negligible and misguided, as they are planned for a location far away—Portalegre—in a completely different geographic and ecological context. This will do nothing to compensate for the destruction of a mature forest. Tree plantations as a form of compensation fall far short of providing any real environmental balance. Young trees cannot fulfill the ecological functions of decades-old trees, and the mortality rate in plantations is extremely high due to poor seedling selection, improper planting, and a lack of follow-up care. As a result, this will likely be yet another useless plantation, where few or no viable cork oaks will survive—serving only to legitimize another project that degrades the natural landscape.

In this context, the already degraded region of Coimbra continues down the path of environmental destruction… Until when? More must be done to protect our shared natural heritage, which sustains life itself. Green energy at the cost of ecosystem destruction? NO!