Green volunteering

In Portugal, green volunteering is supported through national programmes and civil society initiatives that actively involve young people in environmental protection. A key example is the “Voluntariado Jovem para a Natureza e Florestas” programme, promoted by IPDJ, which engages young volunteers in activities such as forest conservation, biodiversity protection, environmental awareness, and fire prevention, particularly during the summer period.

Other initiatives include projects led by environmental NGOs and local authorities, such as coastal and river clean‑ups, reforestation actions, and nature conservation campaigns, often supported by Erasmus+ Youth and the European Solidarity Corps, which also enable international environmental volunteering and the exchange of good practices.

Green production and consumption

Portugal promotes green production and sustainable consumption through public policies, educational programmes, and youth‑focused projects aligned with circular economy and climate goals. Initiatives such as Eco‑Escolas encourage sustainable practices in schools, including waste reduction, recycling, energy efficiency, and responsible consumption, actively involving children and young people.

Additionally, national strategies supported by instruments such as the Environmental Fund (Fundo Ambiental) promote sustainable mobility, energy transition, and circular economy projects, some of which specifically target youth participation and green skills development. Youth organisations and youth‑led initiatives also implement projects on sustainable lifestyles, eco‑entrepreneurship, and conscious consumption, frequently supported by Erasmus+ and other European funding programmes. Here are some examples of projects on green production and consumption: 

Litter Less Campaign

The Litter Less Campaign is an international project coordinated by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) and integrates 35 countries from the Environment network. The campaign, funded by the Mars Wrigley Foundation, aims to educate children and youth around the world on the issue of litter and engage their local communities in awareness-raising activities.

The objective is to observe, interpret, report, and find more sustainable solutions to the problem of waste, namely through a set of activities within schools to promote awareness, knowledge, and skills on the prevention and management of waste. The campaign promotes the circular economy concept and fosters long-term behaviour change in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

It is aimed at schools that must plan and carry out a school and/or community campaign through a competition within the Community Actions Days and shoot a film about the Community Action Day/Global Action Day campaign. The winners at national level (3 winners per category - article, photo coverage, video reporting) and 1 in each age group (11-14 and 15-21) will be published on the Young Reporters for the Environment platform and will participate in the international competition and in a national mission (source: FEE, Eco Schools).

Eco XXI

The ECO XXI Project is an international programme that seeks to recognise positive sustainability practices developed at local level, recognising the title of eco-municipalities. 

This project has been implemented since 2005 and is promoted by the Foundation for Environmental Education, with the Blue Flag Association of Europe responsible for its implementation in Portugal, in partnership with the Directorate General for Education.

It is mainly aimed at policy officers and decision-makers from the municipalities that are considered privileged agents for the promotion of sustainable development at the local level. The Sustainable Development scope is based on two axes: education towards sustainability and environmental quality.

The objective is to promote environmental education through the municipalities, using the processes of formal and non-formal education of Environmental Education for Sustainable Development programmes and the establishment of partnerships with school projects under the implementation of Local Agenda 21. Recent recognitions include the Municipality of Baião, which received the ECOXXI Green Flag in 2023 for its adoption of best practices in sustainable development (source: Baião Sustentável).

Eco-Schools

Eco-Schools is an international educational project promoted by the Foundation for Environmental Education which, in Portugal, is represented by the European Blue Flag Association. More than 11 million students and 52 countries have participated in this project. In Portugal, there are 1,300 school establishments currently participating.

The objective is to support activities developed in schools through an adequate methodology and training, aiming to encourage the creation of partnerships for the implementation of the 21 Agenda locally. One or more themes are chosen every year, to be addressed by eco-schools, among the following fields: water, waste, energy, biodiversity, biological agriculture, outdoor spaces, noise, and transport.

The European Blue Flag Association counts on the technical support of the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests, which is part of the National Eco-Schools Commission. Among the activities developed in this project, the following stand out:

• Eco-Schools award (Green Flags Day);
• Eco-Code Competition;
• Forest Green Brigade Competition.

The National Eco-Schools Commission includes a wide range of institutional partners such as the Portuguese Environment Agency, the Directorate General for Education, the Directorate General for School Establishments, and the Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (source: Eco-Schools, Eco-Schools Impact Report).

Additional Initiatives

BRAVE HANDS: Volunteer in Nature Conservation

The BRAVE HANDS project, part of the European Solidarity Corps, involves outdoor volunteering in Northern Portugal’s rural villages, focusing on environmental protection and promoting heritage. Activities include creating and maintaining pedestrian trails, clearing invasive plants, river plogging, and documenting wildlife. This project is aimed at young volunteers aged 18-30, and promotes hands-on environmental conservation (source: Youth Works Hub).

THE FOREST IS OUR HOME 2024

This project, organised by "H2O" - Associação de Jovens de Arrouquelas (Youth Association of Arrouquelas) and funded by the European Solidarity Corps, involves a one-month summer volunteering programme in Arrouquelas, Portugal. The project aims to help the conservation of forests and prevent fires through activities such as cleaning, painting, forest monitoring, and educational sessions. It promotes environmental awareness and practical skills among young individuals aged 18-30 (source: Opportunity Tracker).