They attended a regular meeting of the Municipal Council, where group members read statements during the public comment portion of the program.

A growing number of Lagos residents, deeply concerned about the proposed development, have come together to form a citizens’ committee called “Save Meia Praia.”

Save Meia Praia team member Becca Williams emphasised, “This is about more than one project. It is about whether decisions affecting a protected and publicly valued coastline are being made transparently, based on current science and with the public interest firmly at the centre.”

The group seeks two things:

Transparency: The citizens of Lagos have a right to access planning files so they can understand what is being proposed and review the process to date. They are asking for that information to be made public.

Environmental Reviews: It is understood that the original planning was done and any permissions granted date back to 1988. The citizen’s group asserts that a project of this scale and environmental sensitivity should not be allowed a construction permit until the project meets all current environmental laws, regulations and requirements.

“We are not against development. We are against development that comes at the expense of Meia Praia’s dunes, environment, and future. Once these fragile ecosystems are gone, no amount of money can bring them back,” said Save Meia Praia team member, Graça Bastos.

The all-volunteer Save Meia Praia group joins citizen-led efforts across Portugal to protect the coastline from development that threatens fragile coastal ecosystems.

Greenpeace Portugal recently released a report highlighting threats to the Portuguese coastline, estimating that 40% of Algarve beaches are at risk of disappearing by 2100 without urgent adaptation measures.

The report contends that the central question is not simply whether a building can be constructed today, but whether it can remain safe, environmentally defensible, and financially sustainable throughout its operational lifetime on a coastline where the sea is advancing, and storms are becoming increasingly destructive.

https://www.greenpeace.pt/noticias/o-litoral-portugues-como-primeira-linha-do-nossofuturo/ Press Contact: savemeiapraia@gmail.org