The Canary Islands have taken the step and have registered their candidacy to host the future National Volcanology Center, a proposal jointly designed by the regional government and the island councils of La Palma and Tenerife. The proposal raises a main headquarters in La Palma and a scientific sub-headquarters in Tenerife, strengthening inter-island cooperation as a hallmark.
The initiative responds to the state call to choose the location of the new organization and defends that the Archipelago, due to its volcanic activity, experience in risk management and an already established research ecosystem, it is the ideal place to lead the monitoring and science of volcanism in Spain.
Co-located model and planned locations
The proposal establishes that the administrative part and management of the center will be located in La Palma, while Tenerife concentrates much of the technical and research capacity. This complementary distribution It allows to take advantage of infrastructure and equipment already in operation on both islands.
In La Palma, the plan places the headquarters in the El Paso Business Center and provides for additional logistical support in the Massieu House (Tazacorte), in the Aridane Valley, very close to the area where the Tajogaite eruption occurred in 2021. According to the institutions, this location would provide proximity to the terrain and would facilitate field work.
The scientific sub-headquarters in Tenerife will be articulated with the existing ecosystem, where the following stand out: reference centers and capabilities:
- They involcan and its volcanic monitoring and R&D projects network.
- ITER and the Teide supercomputer, key to scientific modeling and calculation.
- Colaboration with University of La Laguna (ULL), IGN y CSIC for joint programs, training and knowledge transfer.
Scientific capabilities and risk management
The administrations insist that the Canary Islands combine active volcanic territory with emergency management supported by recent episodes. The technical and social response to the eruption of Tajogaite has been cited as an example of how to turn adversity into applied knowledge.
In this line, the recent volcanic risk simulation in Tenerife under the European program EU-Modex It has been valued as a test of preparation and coordination. For the regional Executive, the Archipelago is a natural laboratory which allows progress in surveillance, prediction models and response protocols.
Calendar and procedure
The administrative roadmap provides for the approval of the candidacy on October 22 in the Governing Council. Interested communities will have until October 24 to formally submit their proposals to the competent Ministry.
According to the estimated deadlines, the decision could be known around three months after the presentation. It is expected that, in addition to the Canary Islands, Andalusia and Catalonia as potential candidates.
Institutional voices and cooperation approach
The Presidency of the Canary Islands has emphasized that when the islands they work in a coordinated manner Ambitious goals are achieved. The choice for cooperation between councils, and not for competition, is presented as the basis for a solid and balanced candidacy.
The Presidency of the Tenerife Island Council has defended a structure complementary and intelligent, with the island providing critical research mass and technological platforms, while La Palma leads the main headquarters and the administrative side of the future organization.
For its part, the Cabildo of La Palma emphasizes that the island is still going through a recovery process after the eruption, and that the proposed location would allow the transformation of experience and knowledge into opportunities, qualified employment and innovation projects.
The Ministry of Universities, Science, Innovation and Culture maintains that the center will promote the talent retention and will enhance collaboration between institutions, by placing the Canary Islands in the national focus of volcanological research.
Expected impact and scope of the future center
The design of the National Volcanology Center aims to centralize research, training and operational response in the face of volcanic phenomena, overcoming the current coordination scheme and generating synergies with European and international networks.
Among the expected benefits are: scientific and economic return, the promotion of new lines of R&D and the transfer of knowledge to public management and the productive sector. The candidacy also seeks to consolidate the Canary Islands as a a benchmark in volcanic monitoring and territorial resilience.
From Santa Cruz de Tenerife it is emphasized that the initiative aims to be of state scope and that the Archipelago, due to its geological uniqueness and scientific structure, offers unique conditions to maximize the public value of the center.
With a proposal based on the institutional unit, defined locations and capabilities already deployed, the Canary Islands seek to position themselves at the forefront of applied volcanology in Spain, combining science, training, and public service to the entire country.
