Helena Freitas: “Natural Capital Is the Capital of the 21st Century”
Professor Helena Freitas, Full Professor at the University of Coimbra, researcher at the TERRA Associate Laboratory, and coordinator of the Centre for Functional Ecology (CFE), was recently interviewed (May 7) by Jornal de Negócios, where she emphasized the urgent need to place natural capital at the core of economic systems and public policy. Her reflections once again highlight the indispensable role of science and applied research in building a sustainable and resilient society.
With an extensive background in territorial planning and ecological governance, Helena Freitas argues that “natural capital is the capital of the 21st century”, stressing the importance of turning this vision into concrete governance practices. She points out that, although Portugal has designated approximately 20% of its territory for conservation, there remains a lack of effective models for monitoring and integration to ensure the quality and sustainability of ecosystems.
The CFE coordinator emphasizes that nature conservation cannot be limited to protected areas. It is imperative to understand, measure, and value ecosystem services across all dimensions—environmental, economic, social, and cultural. Among the key challenges she identifies are the fragmentation of public policies and the need for coordination between sectors such as agriculture, water management, and forestry. “We lack an integrated vision,” Helena Freitas asserts, reiterating that sustainability demands a cross-cutting approach grounded in robust scientific knowledge and intelligent territorial planning.
In the interview, Freitas revisits the concept of ecosystem services—brought to global attention over two decades ago by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment—and emphasizes the importance of operationalizing this concept through appropriate incentives, effective financing mechanisms, and formal recognition by the state. Only through such means, she argues, can nature be transformed from a silent resource into a strategic national asset.
This perspective is also central to the mission of the TERRA Associate Laboratory, which, through its research units such as CFE, FLOWer Lab, and LEAF, aims to deliver innovative scientific solutions for the regeneration of natural systems and the sustainability of both rural and urban landscapes.
Professor Helena Freitas’ interview offers a valuable contribution to the national dialogue on Portugal’s ecological and economic future, reinforcing TERRA’s commitment to advancing science in service of the common good and a healthy planet.
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