The explanations were given at the Figueira da Foz City Council, in the district of Coimbra, at the signing of the contract for artificial beach replenishment on the coastal stretch south of Figueira da Foz (Cova Gala – Costa de Lavos), worth €21 million.

“The average annual retreat of sand, according to studies carried out by the Portuguese Environment Agency, has reached 5.5 metres in recent years, with 52% of the area to be intervened already in a process of extreme erosion”, highlighted the governor.

Highlighting that this is an emblematic project due to its large scale, the Minister of the Environment and Energy considered that the project to be carried out is one of the most significant that is planned for the national coastline.

“It represents the largest artificial beach nourishment intervention ever carried out in Portugal”, stressed Maria da Graça Carvalho, emphasising that the project is extremely complex and affects an area of ​​beach and dunes that has been suffering from significant erosion, especially in the last decade.

According to her, this is a necessary project, “which offers a short and medium-term solution to an urgent problem”.

“But it is also a project that, taking into account the knowledge we have today about the contribution of human action to this problem - namely due to the extension, a few decades ago, of the jetty of the commercial port of Figueira da Foz - should serve as a warning for the future”, she emphasized.

The president of the Portuguese Environment Agency stated that the intervention aims to restore the coastline to its 2010 position and will last for five to seven years, depending on the severity of the winters.

According to Pimenta Machado, the project will include Praia da Claridade, “which is very wide”, without affecting the summer season, the only period in which these types of works can be carried out.

Despite being pleased with the signing of the contract, the mayor of Figueira da Foz, Pedro Santana Lopes, also warned the APA about the need to intervene in Praia da Leirosa, also on the southern coast of the municipality.

“This is a very important day for Figueira da Foz”, stressed the mayor, regretting, however, the time it took for these processes to be on the ground.

This process has been delayed for years, having been publicly announced for the first time in 2019 by the Government at the time, but the schedule stipulated until today has never been implemented.

The project has funding of 18 million euros secured by the Thematic Programme for Climate Action and Sustainability 2030, plus 2.5 million euros from APA and a small contribution from the Port of Figueira da Foz and the City Council.

The works begin after the signing of the contract between APA and the Danish consortium Rohde Nielsen, to which the works were awarded, which was approved by the Minister of Environment and Energy.