Environment and Energy Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho has refused to cancel the Volta packaging deposit system, despite Lisbon Mayor Carlos Moedas calling for its immediate termination. The minister stated the program is mandatory under European Union regulations and described it as successful, though she acknowledged the need to address social issues associated with waste collection. The government is currently studying ways to mitigate the visible impact of people searching through trash for containers.
Environment Minister rejects Moedas' call to scrap Volta system
Wednesday, 16 September 2026AI summary
Context & Explainers
- Minister of Environment and Energy (2024–present)
- Party: Social Democratic Party (PSD), Partido Social Democrata
- Background: Mechanical engineer, academic, former MEP
Maria da Graça Carvalho (born 1955) is a Portuguese engineer and politician serving as Minister of Environment and Energy in the AD government. She holds a PhD in mechanical engineering and had a distinguished academic career at Instituto Superior Técnico, specializing in energy systems and building physics.
She served as a Member of the European Parliament (2009–2024), where she focused on research policy, innovation funding (Horizon 2020/Europe), and energy policy. Before entering politics, she was a scientific advisor to European Commission President José Manuel Barroso.
As Environment Minister, she oversees Portugal's energy transition, renewable energy expansion, water resources management, climate adaptation, and environmental regulation — portfolios that are central to issues like wildfire prevention, coastal erosion, and meeting EU climate targets.
Carlos Manuel Félix Moedas (born August 10, 1970, in Beja) is a civil engineer, economist, and center-right politician who has served as Mayor of Lisbon since October 2021. He earned degrees in civil engineering from Instituto Superior Técnico and an MBA from Harvard, working at Goldman Sachs and founding his own investment firm before entering politics. During Portugal's 2011-14 bailout, he served as Secretary of State coordinating Troika-mandated structural reforms. From 2014-19, he was European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, managing €77 billion in research funding and designing the €100 billion Horizon Europe program. Moedas narrowly won Lisbon's mayoralty in 2021 with 34.3%, defeating Socialist incumbent Fernando Medina. Governing initially with a minority coalition, he implemented free public transport for youth and elderly residents, launched the "Unicorn Factory Lisboa" innovation hub attracting 82 tech companies and 16,000 jobs, and won Lisbon the 2023 European Capital of Innovation award. He was re-elected in October 2025 with 41.7%, securing eight of nine council seats. His significance lies in shifting Lisbon's political trajectory rightward after decades of Socialist governance, positioning the capital as a European tech hub while prioritizing housing development, carbon neutrality by 2030, and innovation-driven economic growth.
6 sources
- Government responds to Moedas. Volta system is “mandatory” in the EU and “successful” in Portugaleco.sapo.pt ·
- Minister rules out scrapping Volta after Moedas criticismportugalresident.com ·
- Minister of Environment responds to Moedas: Volta system is "mandatory" at a European level and the Government will "solve the problems"expresso.pt ·
- Environment Minister rejects ending the Volta packaging deposit systemcmjornal.pt ·
- "It is mandatory". Environment Minister refuses to cancel the Volta programme despite Moedas' appealdn.pt ·
- Government refuses to end Volta and explains that the 'social drama' in Lisbon of people rummaging through trash is 'independent' of the systemcnnportugal.iol.pt ·
