Azores takes on leading role in preparation of National Nature Restoration Plan - Communication

Secretaria Regional do Ambiente e Ação Climática

The Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, through the Regional Directorate for the Environment and Climate Action, held on Wednesday the second meeting of the Working Group set up in the Autonomous Region of the Azores for the presentation of the Region’s contributions to the National Nature Restoration Plan.

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, praised the work carried out by the Regional Directorate for the Environment and Climate Action and the various bodies involved in the process. He noted that “the main results of a wide-ranging and technically demanding project, carried out over recent months, have been presented. This has enabled the Autonomous Region of the Azores to play a leading role in the preparation of the national proposal arising from Regulation (EU) 2024/1991 of the European Parliament and of the Council of June 24, 2024, on Nature Restoration.”

According to Alonso Miguel, “the Azores have made a very significant contribution to the development of the National Nature Restoration Plan, establishing themselves as a benchmark for the technical quality of the work done, their capacity for institutional coordination, and their mobilisation of a wide range of regional entities and experts.”

The government official emphasised that the Regional Director for the Environment and Climate Action, Ana Rodrigues, coordinated the process. It was conducted in close collaboration with the government departments responsible for agriculture, rural development, forestry, maritime policy, fisheries and spatial planning, as well as with local authorities, representative associations, scientific institutions and civil society organisations.

“From the very outset, we have sought to ensure a participatory and rigorous approach tailored to the reality of the Azores, drawing on scientific knowledge, experience gained on the ground, and the ecological, geographical and socio-economic specificities of the archipelago,” he said.

Within the regional context, the work was organised into nine thematic sub-groups, covering areas such as terrestrial, marine, urban, agricultural and forest ecosystems, as well as pollinators and natural connectivity. This has led to the identification of specific restoration measures and the development of a solid contribution to the National Nature Restoration Plan.

Among the key results achieved are the definition of specific measures for the Autonomous Region of the Azores, the adaptation of assessment and planning methodologies to the island context, and the confirmation of the great potential of the Azorean agricultural and forestry systems for carbon sequestration, soil conservation and the protection of biodiversity.

Alonso Miguel also noted that “the Azores did not merely follow the national process, but made a decisive contribution to a solid, technically consistent and territorially tailored proposal, capable of addressing the challenges of nature conservation, climate change adaptation and the improvement of ecosystem services.”

By 2050, the National Nature Restoration Plan envisages interventions across more than 1,000 square kilometres of protected habitats, agricultural, urban and forest ecosystems, and habitats essential for pollinators, as well as across about 300 square kilometres of marine habitats.

The targets set at EU level include the restoration of 30% of degraded habitats by 2030, 60% by 2040 and more than 90% by 2050, as well as the gradual improvement of scientific knowledge regarding the conservation status of these habitats. The regulation also sets out specific targets for urban ecosystems, the recovery of pollinator populations and the improvement of ecological indicators in agricultural and forestry systems.

Alonso Miguel explained that “the plan comprises 324 nationwide restoration measures, which also apply to the Azores, in addition to 56 measures specifically designed for the archipelago. These include actions to control and eradicate invasive species, the creation of nurseries for the production of indigenous and native species, the restoration of peatlands and other sensitive habitats, as well as passive restoration interventions in marine ecosystems through the regulation of activities in Marine Protected Areas.”

The Regional Secretary emphasised that “the implementation of these measures represents an opportunity to bolster biodiversity conservation, increase the resilience of the Azorean territories to climate change and promote the sustainable management of natural resources, for the benefit of current and future generations.”

The National Nature Restoration Plan will shortly be put out for public consultation, with a view to collecting input from civil society. It will subsequently be submitted to the European Commission by  September 1, 2026, for technical assessment. The final version of the document is expected to be completed and submitted by September 1, 2027.