With this presentation, Portugal joins the pioneering group of five European Union (EU) Member States in the final phase of developing this instrument, considered vital to reversing biodiversity loss and strengthening the fight against and adaptation to climate change.

The plan, the result of technical work developed over almost two years, encompasses 407 specific measures distributed across all sectors of the national territory.

Among the PNRN's most ambitious goals is the commitment to plant 3 million trees annually by the end of the decade. To support this forestry goal, a dedicated network of nurseries for restoration will be established, integrating municipal and private structures.

At the level of terrestrial, coastal, and freshwater ecosystems, authorities have identified an area of ​​260 square kilometres with urgent intervention needs (equivalent to 0.3% of the continental territory), with the most critical groups located in wetlands, rivers, lakes, alluvial and riparian systems, as well as coastal and dune habitats.

In terms of forestry, the plan projects the restoration of 44,000 hectares by 2030, including a support line for montado (cork oak woodland) to combat desertification.

The plan also shows a strong concern for cities' resilience in the face of global warming. In urban ecosystems, the objective is to ensure that there are no net losses of green spaces and trees by 2030, and to reverse the trend thereafter.

In an initial phase, the municipalities of Beja, Évora, Leiria, São João da Madeira and Vila Real will move forward with pilot projects focused on the creation of parks and green corridors, the installation of green roofs and facades, the planting of trees in streets and squares, and the implementation of networks of climate shelters to protect populations during heat waves.

On the other hand, the document assumes a scenario of profound scientific ignorance regarding marine ecosystems, accounting for almost 33,000 square kilometres in an undetermined state, which will require combining active restoration actions with mapping and assessment campaigns.

In the river domain, the PNRN incorporates ongoing programs, such as PRO-RIOS, which aims to recover 1,500 kilometres of waterways by 2030, including the physical removal of obsolete barriers. The preservation and restoration of pollinator populations, as well as agricultural restoration, also have dedicated sets of measures.

Quoted in a statement, the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, stressed that the PNRN goes beyond the dimension of a mere legal obligation arising from European targets: "It is an opportunity that allows us to rethink the management of the territory and place Portugal at the forefront of a new European environmental policy."

From a technical standpoint, the plan is based on four guiding principles: the rehabilitation of ecological functions, territorially differentiated action, the combination of active restoration with adaptive management, and the articulation of public policies and funding with local actors.

The document details that the largest share of the 407 measures is aimed at terrestrial, coastal, and freshwater ecosystems (152), followed by the agricultural sector (84), rivers (83), pollinators (28), the marine environment (27), forests (25), and the urban environment (8).

The PNRN will now enter a one-month public consultation period, with the final version of the document expected to be completed by the end of August. The plan is also considered a fundamental pillar for shaping the country's position in the next multiannual financial framework of the European Union (2028-2034).