Assessment and Management of Environmental Risks

ACTION DOMAINS
Photo © Yvonne Einerhand

The Assessment and Management of Environmental Risks action domain includes the development of risk indexes and monitoring procedures to address stressors that affect specific ecosystems and biotypes; and the optimization of methodologies for Environmental impact assessment (EIA) and strategic environmental assessment (SEA).

The innovative research developed in this area encompasses sources, fate, routes of exposure and effects of anthropogenic stressors and emerging pollutants and their prevention and reduction.

Public Policies & Strategies

  • European Mission Starfish 2030
  • Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)
  • Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC)
  • European Nitrates Directive (91/676/CEE)
  • Single-use plastics directive (SUP Directive)
  • National Waste Management Plan
  • National Strategy for the Sea 2021-2030, particularly with its strategic objectives OE1 – Combat Climate Change and Pollution and Restore Ecosystems, OE4 – Sustainability and Food Security, and OE7 – Stimulating Scientific Knowledge, Technological Development and Blue Innovation.

Coordinator

Support to coordination

Coordinator

Paula Sobral

BIO

Support to coordination

João M. Neto

BIO

Support to coordination

Bernardo Duarte

BIO

Support to coordination

Maria Bebianno

BIO

Support to coordination

João Canning-Clode

BIO

Support to coordination

Fernanda Cássio

BIO
Coordinator

Paula Sobral

Associate Professor at FCT-NOVA and researcher at MARE. Designated microplastics expert for the National Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, I.P).
Expertise in Marine litter and microplastics (MP) as persistent pollutants in the oceans, with focus on the harmonisation of analytical techniques for detection of MP, the distribution, abundance and fluxes of MP, the effects of MP towards biota and the risk assessment of plastic pollution.
Interested in the scientific and social values of ecology and their application to the management of natural resources.
Support to coordination

João M. Neto

Researcher at MARE. Expertise on the development of assessment tools for monitoring the ecological quality status of marine and coastal ecosystems; intercalibration of assessment methods; development of green infrastructure solutions to deal with climate change effects on estuaries. Deeply involved in the WFD and MSFD in Portugal and EU, as consultant and collaborator.
Support to coordination

Bernardo Duarte

Researcher at MARE. Expertise in biomonitoring and ecotoxicology of legacy and emerging contaminants (LEC) in marine systems, focusing on LEC physic-chemical dynamics, biogeochemical cycling, interaction with biota, trophic bioaccumulation, hydrodynamic fate, biomarkers, ecological quality indexes using metagenomics, physiomics and ecological metrics; and novel bioptical techniques coupled with artificial intelligence in ecotoxicology.
Support to coordination

Maria Bebianno

Full professor at University of Algarve and researcher at CIMA. Member of the Group of Experts of the Regular Process for the Evaluation of the State of the Marine Environment including the Socio-Economic Aspects of UN. She was Chairwoman of the General Assembly of the Portuguese Association of Women Scientists-AMONET and Portuguese alternate in the European Platform of Women in Science (EPWS).
Expertise in management and risks of marine contamination, with research focused on management and risks of “old” and emerging contaminants (personnel care products, pharmaceuticals, nanomaterials, micro- and nanoplastics).
Support to coordination

João Canning-Clode

Principal Investigator at the Regional Agency for the Development of Research Technology and Innovation – ARDITI, Coordinator of the Madeira
Regional Research Unit of MARE – Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE-ARDITI), Research Associate at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, USA, Principal Scientist and Scientific Coordinator of the Smithsonian MarineGEO NE Atlantic Madeira site.
Expertise in anthropogenic pressures (including marine litter, contaminants, coastal development, invasive species) in marine ecosystems and vast experience in MSFD implementation policies and environmental risk assessments.
Support to coordination

Fernanda Cássio

Full Professor at the University of Minho, researcher at CBMA. Expertise in biodiversity and freshwater ecosystem functioning; Aquatic pollution from eutrophication, metals, PAHs nanoparticles and microplastics; Eco-physiology of aquatic fungi; Metals and nanoparticles/microbe interactions; Molecular tools to assess microbial diversity and function in freshwater.