The rector claims the University as "the best guarantor of sustainability"

Raul Garcia Hemonnet

The rector sought to emphasize the role of the university as the greatest guarantee in the fight for sustainability. In his inaugural address, Abraham Duarte spoke about the role of energy in today's society, noting that "it occupies a central place in the social debate. The increase in energy demand, driven by population growth, the environmental impacts resulting from this consumption, and the geopolitical repercussions on energy sources have accelerated the need to develop less polluting energy sources for the planet."  

In this regard, the rector encouraged the university community to continue taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the current situation: “Great theories such as relativity were born from study and research, which transformed our understanding of the energy world and from which the scientific foundations of renewable energy have been laid. From the university, as I was saying, technological innovation emerges. Essential reflections on regulation, geostrategy, and the social impact of energy consumption are generated at the university. Ultimately, the university is at the center of all debates because we promote science in our classrooms and laboratories, which maintains us as the best guarantor of sustainability; the cornerstone of the modern economy.”

Abraham Duarte also had words for another of the main topics of these sessions, the circular economy, which he reviewed since the topic began to be discussed and noted that "there is a lot of data that alerts us to the need to undertake joint actions to mitigate and reduce the damage caused, when we already know that 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans each year. And, according to the latest report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) "Global Outlook for Waste Management", by 2.050 we will have generated the not inconsiderable figure of 3.800 billion tons of waste."

Duarte welcomed the holding of this event as another contribution in the fight for sustainability and against climate change and congratulated the faculty and experts from ESCET (School of Experimental Sciences and Technology) for holding this symposium.

Research and raise awareness about climate change

The 2nd Conference "The Future of Energy," organized by Professor of Chemical Engineering Eloy Sanz Pérez, who accompanied the Rector at the opening, brings together experienced staff from numerous fields who will discuss the implications of climate change. They will also address how to communicate its relevance to society, linking the environmental and socioeconomic advantages of abandoning fossil fuels. The conference will also discuss the main proposed technological solutions, both in the field of renewable energy generation and in other essential technologies for future models (storage, electricity grids, demand management, etc.). Ample space will also be devoted to dialogue on the environmental challenges of the ecological transition and its optimal integration into the region. 

This event is primarily aimed at students of any degree who are interested in this topic. No prior knowledge is required. It is also open to professors, the media, companies, and any organization or individual interested in learning more about the future of energy.