Coluna de Água
Coluna de Água (meaning Water Column) project arose from the need to bring environmental issues into the media and public debate.
Coverage related to environmental justice and ocean protection remains underrepresented in the Portuguese media. Although citizens and coastal communities are directly affected by pollution, overexploitation of resources, and the impacts of climate change, narratives surrounding fast development, economic growth, and tourism receive more attention than those addressing social equity, environmental protection, and long-term sustainability.
The main objective of the project is to ensure that topics such as environmental justice, democratic participation, and environmental impacts receive the necessary coverage in the media.
By giving training to Sciaena’s team to write opinion pieces and social media management, 10 opinion pieces on topics related to ocean protection and communities will be produced for publication in a regional newspaper, along with audio versions of these pieces for a regional radio station.
The project’s success relies on the collaboration of Sul Informação, a regional newspaper, and RUA FM, a regional radio station. Over the past few months, articles have been published on topics such as fish consumption, deep-sea mining, the Nature Restoration Law, the importance of art as a tool for raising environmental awareness, democracy in climate action, sharks and illegal fishing, and the future of small-scale fishing, among others.
Published Articles (in portuguese):
Traditions, Sustainability, and Poke Bowls
(Topic: Fish Consumption, Author: Nicolas Blanc, December 2025)
The Age of Electronic Waste
(Topic: Deep-Sea Mining, Author: Catarina Abril, January 2026)
A Sea of Possibilities
(Topic: Nature restoration, author: Henrique Folhas, March 2026)
When the Ocean Takes the Stage
(Topic: Raising awareness through art, author: Joana Coelho, April 2026)
April 25 Is Also Eco-Friendly
(Topic: Democracy in climate action, author: Valentina Muñoz, May 2026)
Visible When It Scares Us. Invisible When It Matters
(Topic: sharks and illegal fishing, author: Catarina Abril, July 2026)
Fishing Is About More Than Just Fish
(Topic: the future of small-scale fisheries, author: Raquel Pereira, August 2026)
More coming soon.
“Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or The Netherlands Helsinki Committee (NHC). Neither the European Union nor the NHC can be held responsible for them.”
