CIVICUS discusses resistance to lithium mining with members of United in Defence of Covas do Barroso (UDCB), a grassroots movement challenging a mining project in a farming village in northern Portugal.
Their experience reflects a growing tension between the European Union’s (EU) climate transition goals and the rights of local communities living close to extractive sites. The project, backed by the EU and the Portuguese government, aims to mine lithium for electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage. Officials frame this as crucial for meeting climate targets and reducing dependency on foreign suppliers, yet locals feel sidelined and fear their UNESCO-recognised agricultural heritage will be sacrificed.
