The increase in agricultural production and food quality has forced the growing use of plastics in various activities. The plastic wastes are partially recycled in or outside Portugal; nevertheless, the contaminated wastes are sent to landfill. It is crucial to consider new models for their valorization at a regional level and from a circular economy perspective. In the scope of the Placarvões project, a study was elaborated, which included the types and quantities of plastics used in the irrigation area of the Alqueva Dam, in southern Portugal. The crops that use the most plastic are intensive olive groves, almonds, and table grapes, which represent more than 91% of total plastic waste. The production of activated carbons (ACs) is a solution to avoid plastics landfill. ACs were produced from plastic used on food packaging (PB-Samples) and sheeting film (PS-Samples) by activation with K₂CO₃. ACs presented well-developed textural properties (PB-K₂CO₃-1:1–700 and PS-K₂CO₃-1:1–700 exhibited a volume of 0.32 and 0.25 cm³ g⁻¹ and an apparent surface area of 723 and 623 m² g⁻¹, respectively). Both ACs performed very well concerning four pesticide removals from the liquid phase. This solution is very promising, such these ACs could be applied in effluent treatments on a large scale.

In port management, the integration of geographic information systems (GIS) is essential for geospatial analysis in a complex environment shaped by digitalisation and energy transition. Although the adoption of GIS and spatial data infrastructures (SDI) are growing, their use remains with challenges in interoperability and collaborative data management. This study conducts a systematic review to identify the main publications from the past 10 years on the use of GIS and SDI in the maritime sector, using the Scopus and Web of Science databases. The results revealed an annual growth of 8.59% in scientific publications over the past decade, with a focus on environmental monitoring, machine learning, and digitalisation. The findings also suggest the limited use of SDI in the maritime sector, reinforcing the need for future research on interoperability and spatial data integration. Nevertheless, the main trends include the integration of GIS with machine learning, advanced spatial applications, and artificial intelligence, showing an increasing focus on sustainability, environmental monitoring, and innovative management systems.

Southern Europe has been experiencing an accelerated intensification of agricultural systems in the last decades with consequent environmental effects. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of agricultural land use in two small-medium river basins in the South of Portugal, regarding: (i) water quality and stream habitat; (ii) fish fauna; and (iii) soil. Sampling included fish captures, water, and soil sample collection. Hydromorphological habitat features were also assessed. Land use was quantified at the basin and local scales. Results showed that the most negative effects were associated with intensive, heavily irrigated, fertilized, and pastured local systems, mostly represented at the basin scale by olive groves, irrigated crops, and pastures. Conversely, local agricultural intensity did not prove to be a threat to the integrity and quality of the soil, seeming to ensure the sustainability of the local uses and their systems. Negative effects were observed on water quality and instream habitat and degradation of riparian vegetation, resulting in fish assemblages’ impoverishment. This study contributes to a comprehensive approach to the effects of agricultural land use, highlighting the need to integrate the results of different natural resources to efficiently support policy and decision makers toward a sustainable agriculture, water management, and land use planning.

This research discusses the application of Sentinel satellite data for monitoring air pollution in port areas. The Scopus and Web of Science databases were comprehensively analysed to identify relevant peer-reviewed literature and assess research publications. The systematic literature review was conducted using the PRISMA methodology for inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 519 articles were identified from which 70 relevant articles were finally selected and discussed in detail for their relevancy to the maritime environment. Sentinel-5P was found to have several use cases in the literature that are useful for measuring maritime air pollution, while Sentinel 1 and 2 were mainly used for other applications like oil spills and water quality, respectively. Although aerial surveys, like those conducted using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), offer more precise estimates of greenhouse gases (GHGs), they are only useful for certain applications because the technology is costly and impractical for daily monitoring. Satellite-based sensors are the state of the art for obtaining remote observations of emissions in open sea. Sentinel-5P measurements offer daily data for air quality monitoring, which supports ground surveys to identify and penalize major emission sources and consequently support environmental management in accordance with contemporary policies. Pollutant concentration levels for the maritime sector can be analysed both spatially and temporally using Sentinel-5P data. In the future, addressing the limitations of the Sentinel-5P data, such as underestimation and source separation, could improve air pollution assessments.

Depending on the type of fuels used by ships in maritime port operations, emissions may contribute more or less to the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. The maneuvering of ships at maritime ports uses mainly auxiliary engines, resulting in a significant contribution to emissions. It is understandable that the energy transition in this sector brings benefits and is essential to sustainability, considering its economic and strategic importance. Among the measures established to ensure this transition is the onshore power supply and increased electrification in transportation operations. Maritime ports are not yet prepared for these adjustments, as their heterogeneity and contexts require further research, such as studying the impact of depth on energy consumption, terminal type, and others. The purpose of this paper is to quantify the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions achievable through the implementation of an onshore power supply at the Port of Sines, Portugal. Furthermore, it aims to identify the key factors influencing these adoptions to provide practical recommendations that can guide in advancing energy transition, reducing reliance on fuels, and fostering a sustainable future for the port industry.