Portugal Breached Treaty by Withholding Information on Europe’s Largest Lithium Mine, UN Rules
Portugal has violated an international treaty by restricting public access to key information during the environmental licensing process for Europe’s largest lithium mining project, a UN committee ruled on Wednesday.
In 2023, Portugal’s environmental regulator APA conditionally approved London-listed Savannah Resources’ plan to develop a lithium mine in the Barroso region, a landscape recognized as a UNESCO World Agricultural Heritage site since 2018.
According to the UN Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee, Portugal failed to uphold citizens’ rights to access environmental information and to participate in the licensing process—both protected under the 2001 Aarhus Convention, which Portugal ratified in 2003.
The committee said the APA failed to meet legal deadlines for responding to requests for environmental data.
In cases where requests were denied, the agency did not inform citizens of their right to appeal.
The complaint was filed in 2021 by the Spanish-based Montescola Foundation, with two Portuguese groups acting as observers.
Montescola President Joam Evans welcomed the decision, saying the mine’s environmental permit should be revoked.
In a statement, the APA said it had a “different interpretation” of how the Aarhus Convention applied but insisted it had acted “in strict compliance with administrative procedures and the law.” It said all required information had already been disclosed.
Savannah Resources declined to comment on the ruling.
High Stakes for Europe’s Green Transition
Savannah has promoted the Barroso mine as a strategic project for Europe’s electric vehicle industry. The deposit contains an estimated 28 million metric tons of high-grade lithium, making it the largest known resource in Europe. The company aims to begin production by 2027.
Local residents and environmental groups have strongly opposed the project, citing environmental damage and threats to Barroso’s heritage status.
They said Wednesday’s UN ruling reinforces their demand for the government to revoke the mine’s license.
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