The municipality of Esposende is located in the North of Portugal, belonging to the Braga District. The county of Viana do Castelo borders Esposende in the north, Póvoa de Varzim in the south, and the East of Barcelos. The Atlantic Ocean bathes it to the West with an approximate extension of 14 km. Esposende is a small municipality with 95.18 km2 and about 35.358 inhabitants.
Main environmental challenges faced by the city
Esposende has a vast experience in implementing information, awareness and education projects aimed at all its population. The municipality has, over the years, been implementing several European Projects and performs applications for national programmes aiming to finance interventions of all sorts (formation, constructions, infrastructures). Esposende and its coastal area is classified as a Natural Park, as it contains natural or semi-natural ecosystems, where long-term biodiversity preservation may depend on human activity, ensuring a sustainable flow of natural products and services.
NBS implemented or planned
Esposende has been organising and implementing educational programmes directed to all audiences. Esposende has also been implementing projects as Covenant of Mayors, Local Agenda 21 and is now starting to work in a project regarding the Agenda for Sustainable Development and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
OMARE is a research project that the municipality is coordinating and has several local universities as partners, as well as the National Institute for Nature and Forests Conservation. It aims to create a monitoring and information system of the marine biodiversity in the Northern Litoral National Park, the creation of management instruments and the promotion of the project as a means to achieve the public awareness of sea and coastal problems and good habits.The municipality of Esposende has just achieved the environmental certification, and one of the major goals is to reduce the consumption of natural resources in all activities and the adequate solid waste management