WHEN ELECTRICAL SUSTAINABILITY COMPROMISES THE LANDSCAPE FOR TOURISM: GLASS FORESTS (PORTUGAL)

• Type: Summary of Presentation in an International Conference
• Date: 2025

Authors

Pinto, Diogo Miguel da Silva (Author) FLUP; Duarte, Eunice (Author) Other

Conference proceedings International

Title: Sustainable Transformation and Spatial Interaction of People and Places: Urban and Rural Landscapes for mobility, migration and tourism / 32nd APDR CONGRESS

Pages: 228-228

Sustainable Transformation and Spatial Interaction of People and Places: Urban and Rural Landscapes for mobility, migration and tourism

Porto, 8 - 11 julho 2025

Other information

Abstract (EN): The energy transition has become a strategic imperative in the context of climate change, driving several countries, especially in Europe, to adopt renewable energy sources. In Portugal, the implementation of solar panels in forest areas — known as "Glass Forests" — represents an ambitious response to the need for decarbonization. However, this solution raises growing concerns about the visual, ecological and cultural impact on areas of high tourist and scenic value. This essay critically analyzes how the installation of photovoltaic infrastructures can compromise the visual and environmental integrity of natural landscapes, with direct consequences for the tourism sector. The literature review was carried out based on studies on energy sustainability, territorial planning and sustainable tourism, between 2010 and 2025. Authors such as Rivera et al. (2023) and Urata et al. (2022) defend the importance of integrated planning that considers local ecosystems, while Távora et al. (2022) warn of the expected expansion of areas occupied by solar panels — between 29,000 and 31,000 hectares by 2050 in mainland Portugal. These data reinforce the urgency of a strategic approach that balances energy targets and the conservation of natural heritage. The results suggest that, although solar plants promote the reduction of carbon emissions, their presence can significantly alter the landscape, reducing the aesthetic and tourist value of previously natural regions. It is concluded that the real challenge lies in reconciling sustainable energy development with the preservation of natural and cultural resources that sustain tourist attractiveness. The absence of an integrated strategy could compromise both sustainability objectives and the competitiveness of tourism in areas such as the Glass Forests. As such, public policies lack effective measures, associated with community participation mechanisms and landscape impact assessment, since these are crucial to ensuring a balanced future between energy and tourism. Keywords | Glass Forests; Electrical Sustainability; Tourism; Sustainable development. References Rivera, Y., Blanco, D., Bastida-Molina, P., & Berna-Escriche, C. (2023). Assessment of a Fully Renewable System for the Total Decarbonization of the Economy with Full Demand Coverage on Islands Connected to a Central Grid: The Balearic Case in 2040. Machines, 11(8), 782. https://doi.org/10.3390/machines11080782 Távora, J. M. C. (2021). Solar photovoltaic energy in portugal environmental sustainability on the road to carbon neutrality (Doctoral dissertation, ISCTE-Instituto Universitario de Lisboa (Portugal). https://www.proquest.com/openview/3c1ba03d0835d4edf7190fcd73d4af16/1?cbl=2026366&diss=y&pq-origsite=gscholar Urata, S., Akao, K. I., & Washizu, A. (2023). Sustainable Development Disciplines for Society: Breaking Down the 5Ps—People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnerships (p. 254). Springer nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-5145-9

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 1