Quercus expressed today "considerable concern" about the restructuring of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF), criticizing the Government for conducting the process "behind closed doors." In a statement, the environmental defense association regrets that, "four months later," the Ministry of Environment and Energy has not provided adequate responses about the planned changes to these entities.
The environmental organization warns of the risks of the restructuring being prepared by the Executive, considering that the process should be more transparent and include a public consultation. Quercus argues that changes of this nature, which affect the environmental and forest management of the country, require broader debate with civil society and specialized organizations in the field.
This is not the first time Quercus has spoken out about the reorganization of entities in the environmental sector. The association has been closely monitoring the process and continues to demand greater openness from the authorities in defining the future of these institutions, which are fundamental for nature conservation in Portugal.
