The energy transition is now an unavoidable priority on a global scale and has been identified as an urgent solution to the current climate challenges. In the face of climate change, dependence on fossil fuels and energy instability in an increasingly volatile world, it is only natural that renewable energy should emerge as an essential solution for reducing carbon emissions and building a more resilient future with reduced energy dependence, including between countries. However, as this transition progresses rapidly – and often without adequate oversight, driven by economic interests that dictate investment markets – it is becoming increasingly clear that ‘green’ energy is not automatically sustainable energy, or even ‘green’ in the true sense of the word, at least on its own.

A river is not merely a watercourse. It is a living, constantly changing system that connects landscapes, transports sediment, sustains biodiversity and has shaped the human cultures living around it for thousands of years. To truly fulfil this role in a functional way, a river must be free. In Portugal, the vast majority of rivers are fragmented by artificial barriers that disrupt this continuity. The River Côa is a prime example of this reality, but also a symbol of hope for its restoration.

In the natural world, the balance of a landscape rarely depends on a single species, even when that species fulfils similar functions. On the contrary, it arises from diversity, interaction and time. It is precisely this principle that lies at the heart of one of the main objectives of rewilding in Portugal: the return of mixed herds of large herbivores living in a semi-wild state.