Considering that the Portuguese Government developed a National Programme to build 10 new Hydroelectric Dams using this as an excuse to tackle climate change. These dams will have deep social and environmental impacts in the regions where they will be built and, instead of contributing to stop climate change, this programme will contribute to fulfill the needs of the powerful construction sector and electricity market lobbies.

Considering that these 10 dams , once built, will contribute with less than 3% of the electricity consumption in Portugal and its construction will have a much higher cost than what would be needed to reduce consumption or increase efficiency in electric consumption in Portugal.

Considering that the impact of these huge concrete structures, besides degrading water quality from rivers, will irreversibly destroy high value ecosystems and landscapes, at European or even world level, like the Sabor River and the Tua River in the North-East of Portugal. The new dams will also destroy areas with high economic and social value both rural and urban such as Abrantes (center of Portugal).

Considering that the transport sector and not the electric sector is the main responsible for the high increase of green house gases emissions in the last 10 years, particularly the increase in the number of private cars per capita and their use instead of public transports.

Considering that the continued shutting down of public transport services, specially railway and the strong investment in motorways as a main Governmental policy has strongly increased this situation. In this scenario there has been several attempts to close down the regional railway of Trás-os-Montes, North-East of Portugal. Wrongly stated as non-profitable and lacking of security and now threatened by one of the big projected dams this branch of the National Railway network is targeted by the Portuguese Government to be shut down, ending one important structure used by the population of an already depleted region, specially young students and elder people that do not have other means of transport.

The Global Greens, gathered in S. Paulo, Brazil, 1 – 4 May 2008:
In solidarity with the Portuguese Green Party and the Portuguese citizens in general, support their struggle against the Portuguese National Programme on Dams with High Hydroelectric Potential and asks for more investment in public transports, more affordable and available and thus a true alternative to private cars;

Also supports the struggle of the Portuguese Green Party, as well as the several NGO's of environment, heritage and regional development in:
revitalizing the Tua's, Corgo and Tâmega railways in the Portuguese North-East;
its use as a regional development factor;
Ask for extend it to Spain;
To stop the construction of the Tua Dam.