Marine Researcher Isabel Sousa Pinto Appointed to Lead Portugal's National Nature Restoration Plan

Image: Cristiana Milhão/Global Imagens

Dr. Isabel Sousa Pinto, a renowned marine scientist at the Center for Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR) and professor at the University of Porto, has been appointed to chair the Monitoring Committee for Portugal's National Nature Restoration Plan. This committee will play a crucial role in overseeing the plan's implementation and facilitating discussions on its progress. Throughout her career, Isabel Sousa Pinto has participated in multiple European projects linked to the sea. She is a member of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and co-leads the Marine Biodiversity Observation Network (MBON), which Executive Secretariat is hosted by the AIR Centre. The appointment follows the approval of the EU's Restoration Law in June 2024, which mandates that each member state develop a national plan to restore at least 20% of forests and seas by 2030. The ambition, according to the law, is to “reverse the trend of nature degradation, achieve climate neutrality and improve preparedness and resilience” to face the climate crisis. Each National Nature Restoration Plan must specify targets for 2030, 2040 and 2050. Portugal is currently developing its National Nature Restoration Plan, which must be finalized by August 2026. The plan will draw on the expertise of selected experts to ensure its effectiveness. The plan's goals are ambitious, aiming to restore at least 30% of degraded habitats by 2040, increasing to 60% by 2040 and 90% by 2050. Additionally, Portugal is committed to assessing the conservation status of most of these habitats by 2040.