Catalyst of Change
Supporting a vibrant civil society in Europe
Associação Observatório dos Recursos Naturais (ORN)
miningwatch.ptThe Observatory for Natural Resources (ORN) emerged from the informal and interdisciplinary transparency network MiningWatch Portugal (MWP). Since 2019, MWP has supported civil society, particularly communities facing the socio-environmental impacts of extractive industries, by providing open data on planned projects and analysing active and abandoned mining sites. ORN now strengthens this network and broadens its focus to wider natural resource exploitation, promoting active environmental citizenship and helping affected communities voice their concerns and shape their future.
About the Project
Critical Zones: Transparency, Citizenship, Natural Resources
The Critical Zones project aims to address the shrinking civic space in Portugal, especially for environmental CSOs that lack information on extractive developments and the resources to build coalitions. It also works to navigate the tension between EU reindustrialisation goals and nature conservation through data-based argumentation and joint advocacy. At this stage, ORN has held multi-day workshops and public awareness activities, including hikes in mining-affected areas and film screenings, which already attracted a lot of media attention. These workshops brought together a broad range of Portuguese and international CSOs that collaborated to identify urgent regional threats, shape joint response strategies, and worked to develop the Practice Guide to Natural Resource Justice, which will be released soon.
Communication Outputs
Media Coverage
Despite its ongoing status, The Critical Zones project has already been covered in national and regional media:
https://www.avozdetrasosmontes.pt/documentario-sobre-mineracao-mostra-aquilo-que-estamos-a-passar/
Project Communications
ORN developed a clear communication strategy which they will use to promote release of the Practice Guide to Natural Resource Justice.
Funded by the European Union
name
Catalyst of Change: Protecting the Union values by supporting a resilient, engaged and vocal civil society for the promotion of women’s rights, environmental justice and anti-corruption
partner
European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting (ECNL)
duration
1 January 2023- 31 December 2026
budget
3,411.982 EUR
