They pay the price when the EU is to become greener

- This will affect our way of life.

The noise, the dust and they destroy the mountains and the forests, the ecosystems and the wildlife.

This does not bode well for us, says farmer Nelson Gomes.

The European Commission estimates that the demand for lithium will increase dramatically due to electric cars and an increased need for energy storage.

It will need up to 18 times more than today in 2030, and 60 times more in 2050, when the Union is to be carbon neutral.

Just the beginning

Portugal is already Europe's leading lithium producer, but accounts for less than two percent of global production.

Geologist Alexandre Lima at the University of Porto is researching lithium.

- The finds we have seen in Portugal are very large and we think that is just the beginning, he says.

Despite the concerns of the locals, he believes in the project.

- I believe that the positive consequences are better and more important than the negative consequences.

But I understand the fear people feel.

If you think of old-fashioned mining, there are many dissuasive examples.

"The mine must be run responsibly"

The European Commission believes that lithium may be in short supply and that the EU needs to become less dependent on the outside world.

Here, Portugal will play a major role, is the idea.

- By 2025, we may be able to meet the needs of nine percent of Europe's electric vehicles, says David Archer, CEO of the British company Savannah resources, which runs the project.

I think that people who want to buy electric cars should keep in mind that in order to have such a car, mountains will be destroyed, watercourses will disappear and people will have their quality of life greatly deteriorated because of it, says Aida Fernandes Photo: David Boati

He believes that the local population will rather benefit from the project, which will create jobs and growth.

- Our mine must be run responsibly according to very strict European and national rules.

Of course, it has fantastic economic and social effects for the locals.

"Deteriorated quality of life"

- That is a pure lie.

What is good for us is to continue our way of living and producing our products, says Nelson Gomes.

His wife Aida Fernandes fills in:

- I think that people who want to buy electric cars should keep in mind that in order for them to have such a car, mountains will be destroyed, watercourses will disappear and people will have their quality of life greatly deteriorated because of it.