Costa has been awarded for his contribution to science since his incorporation to the Cavanilles Institute of Biodiversity and Evolutionary Biology and the Department of Botany, where he developed a scientific production of great impact at national and international level. His work was specially focused on the knowledge of flora and vegetation of the Region of Valencia.

Professor Costa Talens has published numerous research works regarding the study of the different ecosystems of flora and vegetation of the Region of Valencia, taking into account their biodiversity in relation to the environment. His activity is reflected in his numerous publications referred to Sierra de Espadà, La Safor, La Marina Alta, the current state of the sea-flora and fauna of the coast of the Region of Valencia.

The relevance of his works at an international level is reflected in the botanical campaigns carried out in Europe, United States and Canada, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, the study of the vegetation in the Andean meseta, the Italian coasts, Cyprus, the Peloponnese and Crete to investigate the preservation of the Mediterranean, etc.

Manuel Costa was the director of the Botanical Garden of the Universitat de València. Since 1987 he has transformed this site into a benchmark, not only as a garden in the city centre, but especially as a research, environmental education and national and international scientific dissemination centre. Later on, he was Vice-Principal of the UV and the responsible of the internationalisation and cooperation policy.

Every year, the Lluís Guarner Board gives an award with its name endowed with 15.025,30 euros. Its aim is to recognise the literary creation and translation within the humanities field, and it may be given to authors that have special bonds with the Valencian region.

The Valencian writer Lluís Guarner appointed the Valencian Government as the heir of its goods (with benefit of inventory). The Valencian Government must use the product of these goods to give an award, a pension or a grant with a cultural purpose and that has to be named after Lluís Guarner. To fulfil the writer’s wishes, a board has been created to approve the bases and organise a call for the award, as well as look after the initiatives that preserve and spread the work of Lluís Guarner Pérez.