The People, Animals and Nature Party (PAN) expressed its opposition to prospecting for ore in the municipalities of Alcoutim and Castro Marim.
"The request for mineral prospecting and research rights, including gold and silver, by the company EMISURMIN, based in Lisbon and with mostly Spanish capital, is a matter of great concern for PAN Algarve", said the party in a note.
As arguments, the PAN highlights local biodiversity, sustainable tourism and local economic development, agriculture and food security and water scarcity.
In addition to these factors, Saúl Rosa, a member of the political commission of the PAN Algarve, states that «the party believes that several local entities that should have influence in the matter were ignored, such as the Castro Marim autarchy, which, unlike the Alcoutim executive, understood the real dangers should this exploitation go forward. Some associations such as Almargem and civic movements such as the defense of the northeast Algarve were also reticent about this possible prospect. Quercus has also recently signaled the lack of responsibility (in terms of environmental impact considerations) in which the granting of mining prospecting licenses is being carried out in the country».
For these reasons, the party asks responsible policy makers to «rethink about the possible attribution of prospecting and research rights for minerals in Alcoutim and Castro Marim, taking into account the arguments presented and the potential damage to biodiversity, sustainable tourism, agriculture and the environment as a whole".
The PAN considers that the solutions on how licensing for mining exploration should be considered include «prohibiting mining concessions within 20 km of settlements, preserving protected areas and the quality of life of local communities; prioritize geological studies instead of using prospecting as a direct means of mineral exploration; review previous mining contracts and assess their environmental and social impacts; guaranteeing municipal authorities veto power in contracts proposed by the Government, ensuring the participation of local communities and demanding realistic and detailed budgets from companies, covering recovery costs for exploration areas and estimating economic impacts, such as job creation and contributions to the GDP ».
The party also warns that Portugal occupies “an alarming position in the European ranking of endangered species, being in fourth place with a total of 456 endangered species, ranking Portugal as the twenty-seventh country with the highest number of endangered species”.
“We are among the 15% of countries most at risk of extinction, which is extremely worrying. We must act now to protect our biodiversity. It is unacceptable to have such an alarming performance considering the size of our territory. It is imperative to recognize the seriousness of the situation and implement drastic measures to preserve our fauna and flora. It is important that we also have the contribution of the local population and join forces in the defense of the Algarve», concludes Saúl Rosa.
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