Last updated: September 2024
The Green and Blue Axis (Eixo Verde e Azul, EVA) is an inter-municipal green corridor project connecting the municipalities of Sintra, Oeiras, and Amadora through a 15-kilometre green ecological axis along the Jamor River (Ref 2). It aims to renaturalize the river, improve water quality, and control flooding while promoting sustainable mobility through pedestrian and cycling routes (Ref 5). The project also enhances public access to green spaces and cultural heritage sites, such as the Queluz National Palace (Ref 6). EVA supports the Lisbon Metropolitan Area’s regional strategy for climate change adaptation, risk prevention, and low-carbon economy (Ref 4). Funded by the European Regional Development Fund and municipal budgets, the project has an overall investment of €11 million (Ref 1). EVA exemplifies inter-municipal cooperation, overcoming policy conflicts to achieve shared environmental, social, and economic goals, making it a model for integrated territorial development (Ref 4). The project’s long-term impact includes reduced carbon footprint and increased territorial cohesion.
Blue Green Axis Map.
https://ambienteterritoriosociedade-ics.org/2018/12/19/eixo-verde-e-azul-intermunicipalidade-em-acao-na-area-metropolitana-de-lisboa/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Blue infrastructure
- Rivers/streams/canals/estuaries
- Parks and urban forests
- Green corridors and green belts
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Flood protection
- Improvements to water quality
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- River flooding
- Environmental Degradation
- Poor water quality
- Land use and Socio-economic change
- Unequal availability and access to public green spaces
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Focus
Management and improved protection of rivers and other blue areas, River rehabilitation/ restoration, Ecological restoration of ecosystems, Ecological restoration of existing green spaces, Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat restoration
Project objectives
1. Renaturalize the Jamor River to restore its ecological function (Ref 6).
2. Improve water quality and ensure flow control to reduce flood risks (Ref 6).
3. Create green spaces that provide public access to natural environments and cultural heritage sites (Ref 4).
4. Promote sustainable mobility by developing pedestrian and cycling routes (Ref 4).
5. Reduce the metropolitan carbon footprint and support climate change adaptation (Ref 1).
6. Enhance territorial cohesion across the municipalities of Sintra, Oeiras, and Amadora (Ref 4).
Implementation activities
1. Renaturalization of the Jamor River to restore its ecological functions (Ref 5).
2. Flood control measures to prevent seasonal flooding and protect properties (Ref 6).
3. Creation of pedestrian and cycling networks along a 15-kilometre corridor (Ref 2).
4. Development of green spaces for public access and recreation (Ref 6).
5. Establishment of soft mobility infrastructure to reduce car dependency (Ref 5).
6. Cultural heritage restoration around the Queluz National Palace (Ref 3).
7. Planting of native species to enhance landscape and provide shade (Ref 6).
8. Construction of bridges and access paths to improve connectivity (Ref 6).
The project mitigates flooding and environmental degradation through river restoration and flow control while promoting sustainable mobility and improving public access to green spaces. This enhances urban resilience and addresses climate adaptation goals (Ref 4).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Restore rivers and other fresh water bodies to reduce flood or drought risk
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Regional government
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Deliberative decision-making processes (e.g., consensus building, deliberative polling)
- Dissemination of information and education
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The governance of the EVA project involves the municipalities of Sintra, Oeiras, and Amadora, responsible for local implementation. Other actors involved include:
- Parques de Sintra-Monte da Lua (PSML), which supports project coordination and tourism development;
- National entities like the Portuguese Environment Agency and the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests oversee environmental regulation and conservation efforts.
- Other sectoral entities: the Directorate-General for Cultural Heritage, the Ministry of National Defence, the Portuguese Infrastructures, and the Portuguese Waters (Ref 4).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Yes
("The project is part of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (A.M.L.) regional strategy, and is funded by the European Regional Development Fund and municipal budgets, the project has an overall investment of €11 million (Ref 1).)
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The project is supported through the Portugal 2020 programme (Ref. 4).)
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
("The project is part of the regional strategy of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area (AML) within the scope of the Europe 2020 strategy objectives, namely: (i) adaptation to climate change; (ii) risk prevention and management; (iii) environmental protection; and (iv) transition to a low-carbon economy." (Ref. 4) "Furthermore, given that it applied for funding through the Portugal 2020 programme , the EVA project was also assessed by the CCDR-LVT, within the scope of the Lisbon Regional Operational Programme ( POR Lisboa 2020 ); and by the AML, within the scope of the Integrated Strategy for Territorial Development of the Lisbon Metropolitan Area ( EIDT-AML )." (Ref. 4) )
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships), NBS research project (e.g., H2020, Urban Living Labs, national research projects), Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
- Public national budget
- Public regional budget
- EU funds
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
No
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Expected enhanced carbon sequestration
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved water quality
- Expected improved water quality
- Increased protection against flooding
- Expected increased protection against flooding
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Expected increased conservation or restoration of ecosystems
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
- Achieved increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
Economic impacts
- More sustainable tourism
- Expected more sustainable tourism
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved social cohesion
- Expected improved social cohesion
- Improved liveability
- Achieved improved liveability
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Achieved gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Improved physical health
- Expected improved physical health
- Improved prevention of respiratory problems
- Expected improved prevention of respiratory problems
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
European Committee of the Regions (n.d.). Eixo Verde Azul (EVA) - Green Blue Axis. Accessed on September 12, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Cardoso, M. (2017). Construction of the green corridor between Oeiras, Sintra and Amadora is underway. Publico, Accessed on September 12, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Tavares, J. (2018). The start of the Green and Blue Axis in Sintra marks the 25th of April in the municipality. Accessed on September 12, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Balula, L. (2018). Green and Blue Axis: Intermunicipality in Action in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Shift Blog, Accessed on September 12, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Mais Transparencia (n.d.). Portugal 2020 Project. Accessed on September 12, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Oeiras Municipality (n.d.). Green and Blue Axis Project. Accessed on September 12, 2024, [Source link];
7.
SmartDest (2021). Eixo Verde e Azul (EVA). [Source link];
8.
Sintra Noticias (2023). Eixo Verde e Azul distinguido com Prémio ‘Portugal Smart Cities’. [Source link];
9.
New in Oeiras (2021). Eixo Verde e Azul tem uma ligação entre Santuário da Nossa Sra. da Rocha e Carnaxide. [Source link];
Blue Green Axis
https://ambienteterritoriosociedade-ics.org/2018/12/19/eixo-verde-e-azul-intermunicipalidade-em-acao-na-area-metropolitana-de-lisboa/
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.