During the first half of August, the Climate Agency (ApC) made payments totalling €156 million through the Environmental Fund or under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), the Ministry of Environment and Energy reported.

Highlighted is the support for the operation of the Municipal Forestry Technical Offices, the MAIS Floresta Program, Village Condominiums, and Landscape Enhancement of the Monchique and Silves Mountains, all allocated €2.5 million by the Environmental Fund.

€143.7 million was also allocated to transfer revenue from emission permit auctions to the national electricity system, approximately €2 million for energy efficiency in buildings, and €1.3 million for the decarbonisation of public transportation, among other areas.

"A strong boost is being given to the implementation of the Environmental Fund and the RRP in the area of energy and the environment, focusing on simplifying procedures," the Minister of Environment and Energy highlighted in a statement.

Maria da Graça Carvalho welcomed the effort being made to maintain payments to beneficiaries at a steady pace, stating that "the country needs to implement investments with funds that are immediately available."

"The Climate Agency is making this effort, and rightly so, which is synonymous with good management," she concluded.