On 13 January, the second of the conferences in the series ‘ENVIRONMENTAL THOUGHT AND ACTION ON THE TERRITORY’ was held. On this occasion, it was given by Luís del Romero, Professor of the Department of Geography, who spoke about the impact of the pandemic on the rural environment. The conference, which was free of charge, could also be followed online with previous registration at the following link: https://events.fundacio.es/e/561/conferencia-pandemia-del-coronavirus-i-medi-rural

In his speech, Luís del Romero explained how, within the humanitarian tragedy of the coronavirus epidemic, rural areas have seen this incipient urban crisis as an opportunity, but also as a double-edged sword, given that the arrival of families willing to stay in their villages, teleworking or seeking a safe haven, can be an economic, social and cultural revival for many rural areas. But it has also meant the spread of the virus to many rural areas that are very sensitive due to the ageing of the population. This conference, therefore, reflected on these aspects and the relationship between the rural environment and the coronavirus pandemic.

Luís del Romero is a geographer graduated from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and specialises in the study of territorial conflicts and depopulation in rural areas. He has been a visiting lecturer and researcher at different universities in Germany, Chile, Argentina and Canada, and is the founder of the research-action group Recartografías, which studies the phenomenon of depopulation and new strategies towards an ecosocial transition.

Luís del Romero's conference was the second in the series 'Environmental Thinking and Action on the Territory', which is taking place throughout the 2020-2021 academic year. This initiative aims to promote critical thinking and reflection on ecology and socio-natural relations, and to address the main problems, conflicts and challenges facing the Safor region and neighbouring territories today. In total, there will be five free conferences that can be followed both in person and online. You can consult the full programme here.