China Aviation Lithium Battery Technology (CALB) plans to create a 5-kilometre high-voltage line in Sines’ industrial area, which involves cutting down cork oaks, Portugal’s national tree of protected status. To comply with the measures stipulated in the project’s Environmental Impact Statement (DIA), some adjustments were made to the Line of Very High Voltage (LMAT) in order to minimize the impact on cork oaks, nonetheless, these adjustments do not prevent this protected species from being felled. The public has now until 21 November to express their opinion about the project’s execution.

The planned facility of CALB would take up roughly 50 hectares of a 100-hectare plot of land within Sines' Industrial and Logistics Zone (ZIL). According to CALB’s Scope Definition Proposal, the manufacturing of lithium batteries will occur in five connected buildings, which will affect 5.3 hectares of cork oak forests as well as 703 samples of protected trees, as stated in the DIA. Overall, 829 cork oaks and holm oaks – both trees classified as protected species - may need to be cut down to construct the industrial unit and the LMAT.

Project’s implications

As stated in the Report of the Environmental Compliance of The Implementation Project (RECAPE), “The Project for the Execution of the Very High Voltage Line connecting the Lithium Battery Industrial Unit to the National Transport Network, was developed safeguarding the minimisation measures set out in the DIA as well as the conditions imposed there. Therefore, whenever possible, adjustments were made to the supports of LMAT, in order to minimize the allocation of cork oaks”. Nonetheless, the same document states, when referring to the ‘conditioning factors’ that “After issuing the Decision on Environmental Compliance of the Execution Project (DCAPE), it will be necessary to obtain the Declaration of Essential Public Utility (DIUP) for the felling of isolated cork oaks and in settlement areas for the construction of the LMAT”, meaning that destruction of protect biodiversity will occur.

As argued by CALB, “The importance of the project at the national level should be noted. It is expected that this factory would have a very significant relevance in economic terms for the country, namely due to its importance in terms of foreign investments and potential wealth generation”. Positive outcomes from the implementation of this project would mostly be job-related with about 1,800 direct jobs being created. However, the negative outcomes are expected to overcome the positive ones with soil contamination and atmospheric concentrations of pollutants in the region most likely to increase, as well as the major impacts on biodiversity mentioned above.

Protected status

The cork oak was unanimously chosen as Portugal's National Tree at the end of 2011. As explained by the Portuguese Cork Association (APCOR) “The cork oak is the only plant species capable of producing cork sustainably and with the highest quality” meaning that its protection and management are of major importance in Portugal. The protected tree has been considered by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) one of the most “emblematic” but also one of the most “endangered” species of Portugal.

Strong fines are imposed by law for harming or inadequate management of cork oaks, with the Decree-Law No. 169/2001 prohibiting the stripping of cork oaks whose trunk circumference is less than 70 centimetres (28 inches) and 130 centimetres (51 inches) in height. According to APCOR “Cork oak trees can only be cut down if they are dead or diseased, and even then, only with the written permission of the authorities”. Nonetheless, CALB's RECAPE plans to make it doable for the company to find a way around the laws and cut down healthy cork oaks.

About CALB

China Aviation Lithium Battery Technology was the third-largest Chinese producer of electric vehicle batteries in 2021, Lusa News has reported. The Portuguese government has already designated China Aviation Lithium Battery Technology's industrial facility proposal as a Potential National Interest (PIN) contributing to a faster development of the proposal.

According to Euronews, Portugal is being hailed as having a major role in the European Union's shift to green energy because of its alleged vast lithium resources. Due to its purported large lithium deposits, Portugal is being touted as a key player in the European Union’s transition to green energy, as currently, the EU is totally dependent on imported battery-grade lithium.