Over 460 scientists, academics and public figures have signed an open letter opposing the possible extinction of the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) and its rumoured merger with the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA), warning that such a move would undermine decades of environmental policy.
The letter, released by the Order of Biologists, expresses “deep concern” over the government’s reported plans to dissolve the ICNF and transfer its responsibilities to the APA. Addressed to the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa; President of Parliament, Aguiar Branco; and Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, the letter calls for the institute’s autonomy and resources to be strengthened, not dismantled.
Among the 463 signatories are prominent scientists Filipe Duarte Santos, Galopim de Carvalho and Viriato Soromenho Marques, as well as former Environment Minister João Pedro Matos Fernandes. The letter also carries the support of 28 associations and researchers from across the life and earth sciences.
“Throughout the last 50 years, Portugal has built a public service that specialises in nature conservation and biodiversity, with national responsibilities and international commitments, whose continuity and autonomy are considered essential by the signatories,” the letter reads, stating that any kind of merger or dissolution would spell a regression with “significative consequences” for the country.
They argue that instead of merging institutions, the government should reinforce the ICNF’s technical, human and financial capacity so it can fully address conservation priorities with “a strong and independent voice.”
The letter follows warnings from environmental organisations last week, who urged the government not to dismantle the ICNF, pointing to budget cuts in the draft 2026 State Budget. According to the proposal, funding for the ICNF will fall from €53.2 million to €44.7 million, despite the institute’s key role in wildfire prevention, climate adaptation and managing protected areas – namely as it prepares to implement its updated Nature and Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2030 and the National Nature Restoration Plan. The 2026 budget proposal also allows ICNF funds to be transferred to defence and security bodies for operations related to forest surveillance and fuel management on state-owned land, under new agreements to be signed through the Environmental Fund – a move that environmentalists believe could further erode the institute’s independence and core mission.
Environment Minister Maria da Graça Carvalho has since denied that any merger is currently being planned, insisting that “any decision taken will always respect the ICNF’s work.”
