The Portuguese Tourism Board and the Portuguese Association of Shopping Centers (APCC) signed a cooperation protocol for the identification, qualification and integration of spaces into the Climate Refuges Network, according to a press release.
According to the same source, this network is being developed by Turismo de Portugal and arises within the framework of the Agenda for Climate Action in Tourism 2030. It aims to address the impacts of climate change on the tourism sector, namely the increasing frequency and intensity of heat waves, promoting solutions that reinforce the comfort and safety of tourists and residents, the resilience of tourist destinations, and the enhancement of infrastructures that have the potential to ensure thermal comfort.
Climate Refuges are understood as spaces, indoors or outdoors, that guarantee these conditions during periods of extreme heat, allowing temporary stays and reducing exposure to high temperatures.
In this context, the collaboration between Turismo de Portugal and the APCC provides, among other objectives:
– The identification of spaces with potential to operate as Climate Refuges;
– Support for the qualification and improvement of spaces, where necessary;
– The integration of these locations into a territorial network;
– The promotion and dissemination of the network to tourists and the resident population.
Carlos Abade, President of Turismo de Portugal, states that “the creation of the Climate Refuges Network demonstrates the active role that tourism can and should assume in addressing the challenges of climate change and the increase of extreme heat phenomena. The partnership with APCC enables mobilizing nearby spaces, with conditions of comfort and accessibility, reinforcing the safety and well-being of tourists and residents. It is another step to affirm Portugal as a more resilient, sustainable and future-ready tourist destination.”
Carla Pinto, Executive Director of APCC, notes that “Shopping centers are already widely recognized as spaces of climatic comfort and, for a long time, a much sought refuge on hot or cold days, which makes the involvement of our sector in this network natural. They are places of gathering, proximity, convenience and, equally important, of guaranteeing comfort for their thousands of visitors. This partnership with Turismo de Portugal reinforces our commitment and that of our members to the realization of initiatives that ensure the well-being of the communities served by shopping centers and the many tourists they host.”
The protocol was signed last Friday, during a ceremony in Reguengos de Monsaraz, Évora district, where the “Climate Refuges | Stay Cool” Program was presented.
