This afternoon we interviewed Guilhermina Galego from GEOTA, a Portuguese environmental policy organization about the organization, what it does and her role within the organization.
Q1: Why is GEOTA so successful?
A1: GEOTA was the first NGO created for the topic of land use in Portugal in 1981. GEOTA works with the government and collaborates with many other organizations and groups which is also very beneficial.
Q2: What is the most important thing that GEOTA or that you have done?
A2: I became a geography teacher to start but for the past five years I have been teaching youths about the vanishing coasts, erosion and the effects of the loss of sedimentation with GEOTA. We publish a volume of data collected by volunteers and every year we provide the public with a resource about their city.
Q3: How do you create a change towards solving the problems after the planning process?
A3: We educate the people of Portugal by publishing a volume in efforts to create a change with awareness. Also we search for students and scouts to volunteer as researchers and volunteer workers. We also try to pressure the government and other NGO’s to help the cause and lend funding and people to create a change.
Q4: What other organizations does GEOTA collaborate with?
A4: GEOTA also collaborates with Abaes, Oikos, Querques, Scouts and many other NGOs. We also work with secondary schools, universities, municipalities and APA. We also offer volunteer positions to anyone who wants to help the cause. Many of the volunteers are youths that recently graduated from university (under 30 years).
Q5: What are the difficulties that GEOTA faces?
A5: The main issue the GEOTA faces is funding and being able to afford to finance all of the projects. Another issue would be getting help and gathering volunteers to lend their time to the organization. We use 5000 volunteers per year which can be difficult to find. Environmental difficulties include a rising sea level which causes flooding to houses near the water. Furthermore there are differences between what the citizens and GEOTA wants and what the government members want for the economy. For example a dam was built on a river to harness hydro energy which is causing a lack of sedimentation movement to the sea which causes erosion.
Q6: Why was GEOTA founded?
A6: Young people felt that the destruction of their beaches was a very important issue in Portugal at the beginning of the 80’s. They wanted to support this problem in their county and give funding to the issue. The issues GEOTA focuses on include rivers, public transportation, forests and energy.
Q7: Does Costwatch focus more on preventing or repairing environmental issues?
A7: We assess conditions and collect data which can be used for prevention. Costwatch , a GEOTA project, focuses on educating the public, passing on knowledge and creating awareness.
Q8: Why is Costwatch successful for young people specifically?
A8: They want to save their beaches and they are more concerned because they go to the beach year round whereas workers only take care of the beach in the summer season which is when tourists visit. They are more conscious about the problem because they see the beach being littered in the other seasons.
Group 6: Annija Strode; Jane Hu; Alwine Henning; Koren Shayb; Marie Racioppa; Mert Gokturk
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