Regional Government marked World Environment Day on Graciosa Island

June 8, 2026

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, marked today World Environment Day on the island of Graciosa. He emphasised that this occasion aims to “alert and raise awareness amongst the entire community of the importance of preserving our planet and the complex environmental challenges we face, such as climate change, environmental pollution, the destruction of ecosystems and the depletion of natural resources.”

The government official emphasised that “ the key theme for World Environment Day in 2026 is climate action, an issue that has been a priority for the Government.” In this regard, he added that “the date was marked on Graciosa, an island classified as a Biosphere Reserve, which has distinguished itself in various environmental fields, particularly in terms of energy transition, decarbonisation and the production of renewable energy.”

Alonso Miguel noted that, “in addition to the implementation of a wide range of climate action tools and projects, such as the Regional Climate Change Programme, the LIFE IP Climaz Project and the Roadmap for Carbon Neutrality in the Azores, the Regional Government has placed a strong emphasis on environmental literacy. He pointed out that success in this challenge depends not only on appropriate public policies, but also on the involvement of society as a whole and, above all, on the individual commitment of every citizen.”

The Regional Secretary also emphasised that schools are key agents in disseminating information and knowledge, playing an essential role in shaping citizens who are better prepared, more aware and committed to the future of the planet. For this reason, the Regional Secretariat organises the School Environmental Awareness Activities Programme (OASAE) every year, aimed at all regional schools.

According to Alonso Miguel, “the OASAE for the 2025/2026 school year comprises a total of 65 activities designed for all levels of education, covering various thematic areas such as climate change, nature conservation, water resources and the circular economy.”

“I would like to point out that, since the implementation of this educational programme in 2022, more than 3,500 activities have already been organised, involving around 80,000 young people across all the islands of the archipelago,” he said.

As part of the celebrations held in Graciosa, Alonso Miguel revealed that “a rich and diverse programme was prepared in collaboration with the Santa Cruz da Graciosa Basic Education School. It included the hoisting of the Eco-Schools flag and a series of workshops on climate change, recycling, biodiversity, geodiversity, coastal ecosystems, sustainability and Biosphere Reserves.”

The Regional Secretary also noted that the event was an opportunity to “launch a collection of educational videos, produced by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, as tools to support environmental awareness and education. They cover various environmental themes and challenges, such as climate change, water management, waste and the circular economy, the Azores’ Nature Parks, and endemic and invasive species.”

At the same time, he added, several activities were prepared to be carried out across all the islands of the Azores. They involved the participation of hundreds of children and young people from various schools and educational centres in the Region, with a particular focus on the launch of the game “Trivial – Climate Change in the Azores,” developed as part of the LIFE IP CLIMAZ project.

The Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action also marked the occasion by delivering one hundred game sets to schools across the Region.