Justo Herrera thanked the State Meteorological Agency for having the University of Valencia, through its delegation in the Valencian Community, for such an important celebration. “This collaboration shows the concern in improving the quality of life of people, without forgetting the commitment of the institution to bring science to the general public”, said the university leader.

In this sense, the University of Valencia has several research groups that research Meteorology and Climatology, as well as the incidence of both in the natural environment. This is the Global Change Unit, the Solar Radiation Group, or the Satellite Climatology Group, of which Professor Ernesto López Baeza is representative. “The University of Valencia considers fundamental the approximation of science and research to society in general, to achieve its involvement in key issues for economic, cultural and social development”, said Justo Herrera.

The territorial delegate of the Aemet in the Valencian Community, Jorge Tamayo, also took part in the session. In addition, diplomas have been awarded to the award-winning collaborators, José Luis Mira Botella, from the observatory of Crevillent (Los Molinos); Eliseo Mascarell Camarena (observatory of the Beniarrés Reservoir); Consuelo Beltrán Ten (observatory of Chóvar); and Vicente Ferris Malonda, from the observatory of the Columbretes Islands. The meteorological collaborator of Sueca María José Gómez Nieto has also been honoured.

For his part, Professor Ernesto López Baeza stressed that in the Valencian Community it is verified that the temperature increase in recent decades, both in the temperature of the air and that of sea water, is close to a degree. “But not only has the average temperature increased, but climate change has caused an increase in thermal extremes and new records of average temperatures, not only at the local level”, he said.