Almada in brief
Almada is one of 18 municipalities within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, with 176,000 full-time residents in an area of 72 km². In spite of being mostly urban, it still manages to maintain and preserve 25% of its territory as a protected area of great natural richness and biodiversity. Almada is bordered entirely by water, with the Tagus River to the north and east and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Almada’s Atlantic beachfront extends for approximately 13 km and is a popular leisure destination within the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, attracting an estimated 8,000,000 visitors per year. Due to the City’s location in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and its urban nature, transport and buildings (comprising services and residential) are the most important sectors in terms of energy consumption in Almada.
Sustainability profile
Each decade, Almada’s local development strategy has focused on a particular topic related to the local needs and situation of the time, allowing the City Council to follow a balanced, smooth and coherent development pattern based in solid sustainability criteria. For the current decade, Almada City Council has adopted the motto “Almada+: Sustainability, Solidarity and Eco-Efficiency”. Almada aims to pursue a development pattern along the following guiding principles:
- Establish Almada as a territory of high environmental quality;
- Consolidate Almada’s green infrastructure;
- Achieve an efficient and smart use of natural resources;
- Reduce environmental impacts of activities in its territory and promote efficient energy use, to foster a progressive energy transition leading to a low carbon city.
Thematic priorities for the exchange
Resilience and adaptation: Almada uses different methodologies such as coastal hazard zone mapping and urban heat island modeling to assess its vulnerabilities and better inform its adaptation strategies. It is also integrating adaptation measures in a range of policies, programs, plans, and actions. Within this partnership, Almada seeks to share its experiences, discuss solutions and methodological approaches, and compare results with other cities.
Ecosystem services: Almada is interested in boosting adaptation through the use of blue and green infrastructure. Projects with this ecosystem-based approach to adaptation have been designed for microclimatic regulation, urban heat island effect mitigation, storm water flood control, nutrient recycling and groundwater supply, erosion control, food production, and social cohesion. However, ecosystem-based adaptation can also require significant changes in urban planning practices and may present considerable challenges for Almada. Almada therefore seeks to discuss approaches with other project cities.
Low-carbon development: Almada’s many smart city development projects, such as its public lighting telemanagement system and various e-mobility projects, are all being developed with a low-carbon agenda in mind. Almada hopes for the Cooperation to contribute to the development of these actions for the community.