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rose marquez
The Institute for Global Change Research at Rey Juan Carlos University (IICG-URJC) played a prominent role in the XXVII edition of the URJC Summer Courses by organizing two activities focused on some of the major environmental challenges of the present: the XIII Congress of the Spanish Society for Plant Conservation Biology and the course 'Ecology and Economics: an essential connection to face the environmental emergency'.
Both proposals shared a common focus: the need to address the environmental crisis from an interdisciplinary perspective, connecting scientific research with management, public policy, economics, business, and society. From flora conservation to the integration of ecological limits into economic models, both events highlighted the role of the university as a space for debate, knowledge transfer, and the search for solutions to global change.
The 13th Congress of the Spanish Society for Plant Conservation Biology was held at the Aranjuez campus from June 30 to July 3, as part of the Summer Courses program for the first time. The event brought together more than 150 participants from diverse backgrounds, all linked in one way or another to plant conservation: national and international researchers, state security agents and agencies, science communicators, technicians, and staff from various public administrations.
According to Professor Alfredo García Fernández, organizer of the congress and researcher at the IICG, this edition has incorporated “important new developments, both in the scientific field and in the field of plant conservation.” Among these, he highlights the presentation of new species, the proposal of assessments that will improve the knowledge and protection of flora, and the debate surrounding the development of the new European regulation on nature restoration, “where plants will play a fundamental role.”
The congress also served to announce new laws and projects aimed at improving the protection of flora, as well as creating meeting spaces for young researchers and students. “It was designed to try to attract young researchers and students and spark interest in botany,” García Fernández points out.
The choice of Aranjuez as the venue was not accidental. According to the professor, the Summer Courses offer “a unique setting” for a conference of this nature. “The location of Aranjuez is exceptional for plants and vegetation, with its gardens, the Royal Site, and its monumental trees. The facilities of the URJC allow us to hold a conference like this with complete ease in a unique environment,” he explains.
Combat plant blindness
One of the debates during the meeting was the need to combat so-called "plant blindness," a phenomenon that means that when discussing biodiversity, public attention is often directed more towards animals than plants. For García Fernández, focusing on plant conservation is essential: "Plants are what sustain our ecosystems and life on the planet. Without them, we would be headed straight for extinction as a species."
In this regard, the researcher emphasizes the importance of increasing communication about plants, improving the specialization of professionals, and fostering scientific vocations from an early age. “This is a problem that doesn't only occur in Spain, but all over the world. We must start from primary and secondary schools, all the way up to our elders. Events like this one, with high participation from young people, are an example of how to continue sparking interest and broadening horizons,” he adds.
Alongside the congress, the IICG also organized the course 'Ecology and Economics: an essential connection to address the environmental emergency', held again on the Aranjuez campus on July 2nd and 3rd. Led by Adrián Escudero, director of the IICG and professor of Ecology at URJC, and Valentín Alfaya, director of Sustainability at Ferrovial and associate professor at the university, the course addressed the need to bridge the gap between ecological knowledge and economic decision-making.
The proposal is based on a clear premise: the environmental crisis cannot be addressed in isolation. Climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, and changes in land use not only alter ecosystems but also affect the functioning of the economy, social stability, and human well-being. Therefore, the course has sought to foster dialogue between science, business, and government to translate scientific evidence into concrete actions.
The program featured specialists from institutions such as BC3, MITECO, Iberdrola, the University of Salamanca, Mrs Greenfilm, Creando Redes, URJC, Ferrovial, and the IICG. Through various sessions, topics such as ecological diagnosis and its economic implications, the role of biodiversity, carbon sinks, the biophysical limits of the economy, green finance, new European regulatory frameworks, and professional opportunities related to the ecological transition were addressed.
With these two activities, the IICG-URJC has strengthened its presence in the Summer Courses as an institute focused not only on cutting-edge research, but also on training, outreach, and knowledge transfer. Plant conservation and the connection between ecology and economics have served as two complementary approaches to addressing the same challenge: tackling the environmental emergency through scientific knowledge, institutional cooperation, and social engagement.