ICNF merger: Helena Freitas warns of risks and lack of justification
Helena Freitas (CFE/TERRA) published an opinion piece in the Público newspaper on the merger of the ICNF, in which she warns of the need for informed and transparent decisions in the reform of state structures.
In recent days, news has been released about the government’s intention to abolish the Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas (ICNF), as we currently know it, redistributing its powers to the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and the Regional Coordination and Development Commissions (CCDR). The proposal has caused concern among experts and conservation organizations, including Professor Helena Freitas, coordinator of the Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE) and member of the TERRA Associate Laboratory.
In an opinion piece published in the Público newspaper, entitled “Fusão do ICNF: só se for para proteger melhor a natureza”, Helena Freitas reacts to the possibility of this merger and warns of the lack of technical grounds, strategic assessment, and any public demonstration of the concrete benefits of the measure.
“In a country facing increasingly complex environmental, climate, and territorial crises, reforming state structures cannot be an opaque administrative exercise, but rather an informed, transparent decision guided by the public interest,” she wrote.
The researcher warns that this proposal comes at a critical time for nature conservation and land management, and that any institutional reorganization must strengthen—not weaken—the state’s capacity to protect ecosystems, manage natural resources, and prevent disasters. For Helena Freitas, the absence of a robust policy for ecological prevention and restoration could have irreversible consequences.
The article is available at publico.pt, with exclusive access for subscribers: https://www.publico.pt/2025/10/25/azul/opiniao/fusao-icnf-so-proteger-melhor-natureza-2152093 (in Portuguese)
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