What's at stake
In this section, we will gather relevant documents that stress the need to preserve green spaces, especially in urban contexts.
Relevant links
Compilation of news articles related to our environmental cause
1. Erosão costeira – Jornal Público
2. Cidades esponja – Diário de Notícias
3. Casas cada vez mais perto do mar – Sic Notícias
4. Substituir asfalto por árvores salva vidas – Jornal Público
5. Mais natureza, menos medicamentos – CNN
6. Biodiversidade: precisamos das espécies para sobreviver – Jornal Público
Environmental studies
Written and edited by Lilla Schottner
Benefits of Nature in urban environment
Um excerto do estudo "How to save and activate a park?!" sobre como salvar e activar Oxon run Park em Washington DC. O texto aqui apresentado, escrito e editado por Lilla Schottner, aborda os benefícios da Natureza na saúde física e mental dos habitantes de ambientes urbanos, bem como o seu impacto na coesão social, economia e sustentabilidade (entre outros) dos mesmos.
Environmental studies
Guidance on best practices to limit, mitigate or compensate for
soil sealing
Document only available in PT.
The purpose of this Commission Staff Working Document, which contains guidelines on best practices for limiting, mitigating or compensating for soil sealing, is to provide information on the extent of soil sealing in the European Union (EU) and its impact and give examples of best practices. These examples may be of interest to the competent authorities of the Member States (at national, regional and local levels), to professionals dealing with land management and spatial planning and to interested parties in general, but they may also be useful to each of the citizens.
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"In urban areas, the decrease in evapotranspiration caused by the disappearance of vegetation as a result of soil sealing and the increase in the absorption of solar energy caused by asphalted or concrete surfaces, roofs and stones are significant factors that, associated with the heat produced by air conditioning and refrigeration systems and by traffic, contribute to the effect of "urban thermal islands"; In the case of excessive temperatures (heat waves), the effect of urban thermal islands can be particularly serious for the health of groups of vulnerable people such as the chronically ill and the elderly. Optimizing the design of urban areas, incorporating parks and green spaces and preserving open strips of unsealed land ("fresh air corridors") to help ventilate the city centre could play an increasingly important role in the future."
Environmental studies
Urban Green Space Interventions and Health
"Interventions on green space in urban settings can help address public health issues related to obesity, cardiovascular effects, mental health and well-being. However, knowledge on their effectiveness in relation to health, well-being and equity is incomplete. To explore the effectiveness of urban green space interventions to enhance healthy urban environments, the WHO Regional Office for Europe reviewed research findings, local case studies and Environmental Impact Assessment/Health Impact Assessment experiences, and assessed their impacts on environment, health, well-being and equity. This report provides the three working papers prepared for a meeting, and presents the discussion and conclusions on what intervention components have been found to be effective in maximizing the environmental, health and equity benefits derived from urban green spaces."
Environmental studies
Strengthening cultural heritage resilience for climate change
This report summarises the work of the EU Open Method of Coordination (OMC) group of Member States’ experts on ‘Strengthening cultural heritage resilience for climate change’. It is based on the discussions and information, provided and approved by the members of the OMC expert group, in the meetings during 2021 – 2022, in addition to presentations given by the invited external experts. In their report, the OMC expert group formulates a set of key recommendations for policy makers, based on their findings.
Environmental studies
EU Science HUB studies
EUROPEAN UNION studies (EU Science Hub), with seasonal information and forecasts on Climate Resilience and Adaptation, Forest Fires, etc.
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EDORA - European Drought Observatory for Resilience and Adaptation
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European Forest Fire Information System EFFIS
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European Drought Observatory / (Ler notícia)
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Copernicus Emergency Management Service
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Environmental studies
Green Spaces: An Invaluable Resource for Delivering Sustainable Urban Health
“Parks, green spaces and waterways are important public spaces in most cities. They offer solutions to the effects of rapid and unsustainable urbanization on health and well-being. The social and economic benefits of urban green spaces are equally important and should be seen in the context of global issues such as climate change, as well as other priorities set out in the Sustainable Development Goals, including sustainable cities, public health and nature conservation."
Environmental studies
SOS Salvem o Surf scientific study and conclusions from 2014
This document contains the position of the association/ONGA SOS – Salvem o Surf on the impacts on the beach of the Detailed Plan of the Urban Restructuring Space of Carcavelos Sul (PPERUCS) and of the other urbanizations that the Municipality of Cascais is planning to implement in the present green spaces attached to Praia de Carcavelos, communicated to the public on December 14, 2014, at 10:00 am, at Praia de Carcavelos.
SOS – Salvem o Surf represents, in general, the surfing community in matters of preserving beaches and the surrounding natural environment, without which surfing would not be possible. The document includes which impacts should have been studied by the Municipality of Cascais, cumulative impacts of different urbanizations and climate change foreseen by the Strategic Plan of Cascais in the Face of Climate Change (PECAC). It also includes the scientific review of the Environmental Assessment of the Municipality of Cascais, on the environmental impacts on the beach, carried out in 2013 and 2014. It shows that the Environmental Assessment is incomplete and incorrect. The damage that surfers, bathers and other beach users, whether residents of Carcavelos or tourists, will suffer in the future is highlighted.
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Document only available in Portuguese