SANTA CRUZ DE LA PALMA, 8 Sep. (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Government of the Canary Islands has commenced preparations for the archipelago’s bid to host the National Centre for Volcanology. The proposal suggests that La Palma will serve as the administrative headquarters, while Tenerife will act as a subsidiary site focused on scientific research.

This was revealed to the media by Sergio Rodríguez, the President of the La Palma Cabildo, who highlighted that the model mirrors that of the Instituto Astrofísico de Canarias (IAC), which has a shared headquarters but in reverse. This initiative will be formalised through an agreement between both councils.

If the Canary Islands’ bid is successful, the administrative centre is expected to be constructed in El Paso. The land for this has already been purchased by the local council with funding from the Cabildo, and it is located near the volcano.

Rodríguez noted that the joint candidacy aims to “strengthen the options”, as the selection will be made by the state through a competitive process based on objective criteria, primarily the location within a volcanic territory.

He asserted that it “would not be understood” if the national centre were not located in the Canary Islands, particularly following the events surrounding the eruption of ‘Tajogaite’ in La Palma and the ongoing seismic activity at Teide.

Rodríguez emphasised the scientific work being conducted in Tenerife by Involcan and the ITER (Technical Institute for Renewable Energies), confidently stating that the joint candidacy “is much stronger than pursuing this separately”. He also acknowledged the “quiet work” carried out by the three administrations in developing the proposal.