The interventions, according to the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, quoted in a statement, are a concrete step "to restore life to rivers and streams, protect populations, and enhance the country."

"By investing in the health of aquatic ecosystems, we are investing in the quality of life and safety of future generations," the minister added.

The Ministry's funding, through the Climate Agency, is earmarked for a series of river and stream rehabilitation and restoration initiatives across the country, under the ProRios 2030 strategy – "Water that Unites."

The statement also clarifies that priority is given to natural engineering solutions and community-based interventions, in collaboration with municipalities, to "restore degraded watercourses, create controlled flood areas, and reduce risks associated with floods and droughts."

The Ministry highlights among the priority interventions to be funded the rehabilitation of the Neiva River in Esposende and Viana do Castelo; the restoration of the Picote Stream in Miranda do Douro; the enhancement of the Vez River in Arcos de Valdevez; the rehabilitation of the Díz and Noéme Rivers in Guarda; and the restoration of the Alfusqueiro River in Águeda.

The list also includes the enhancement of the Lizandro River in Mafra; the restoration of streams in Évora and Beja; the rehabilitation of the dam system in Arronches; work in the Alentejo Coast; and the 60-kilometer Ribeira do Vascão redevelopment project in the Algarve.

The Ministry also notes that the investment also represents "a decisive step in the implementation of the National Restoration Plan, which is currently being developed and includes the renaturalization of rivers."

The ProRios 2030 strategy aims to promote the integrated and sustainable management of water resources, strengthening climate resilience, natural water retention, and the biodiversity of riverside ecosystems, the statement says.