Héctor Izquierdo, commissioner for reconstruction after the volcano: “The objective is for 6% of La Palma’s GDP to come from science” | Society | EUROtoday

For Héctor Izquierdo (Los Llanos de Aridane, 1974), the reconstruction of the island impacts him personally. He was born and raised on the island, and his dad and mom reside in Puerto Naos. Doctor in Economics and Business Sciences and graduate in Law, he developed his skilled profession in twenty international locations in areas of administration, educating and analysis, earlier than being appointed Secretary of State for the Treasury. He barely lasted six months in workplace. In June 2022 he turned the primary (and solely so far) commissioner for the Reconstruction of La Palma, depending on the Ministry of Territorial Policy and Democratic Memory. The eruption was thought of extinguished on December 25, 2021. Four years later, it’s working to get well the agricultural sector, after having closed the compensation for the properties. He admits that a lot stays to be completed. “We have the challenge of making this a transformative opportunity,” he says.

Ask. How is the reconstruction going?

Answer. Our present focus is agriculture. We are continuing with the cost of 100 million to pay the worth of the properties, at a fee of 44.6 euros per sq. meter, with variations relying on the crop. This quantity was calculated in 2023, and naturally, with the inflation that has occurred, costs have risen quite a bit. Therefore, it’s true that we’re going to fall quick with regards to complementing. That doesn’t stop different support from being obtainable sooner or later. It has been an extended job, as a result of earlier than paying for them, roads needed to be constructed – that are already deliberate and with the cash transferred -, the territorial planning needed to be accredited, the roads needed to be made. We have helped native companies to speed up the equipment, and advance with employment plans, whose assets, by the way in which, exceed that of your complete Canary Islands. For this purpose, we’ve got supplied metropolis councils with technical personnel to take care of the flood of labor. Now they’re a licensing machine.

P. However, there are doubts in regards to the restoration of the agricultural sector, particularly that of bananas. What are the issues?

R. One, the rise in costs. Two, not everybody has that monetary kidney or, there’s an aversion to the danger of asking for a mortgage, regardless of how good the circumstances are. The third is the dearth of generational change. Farmers on the island have a excessive common age. And if you’re 70 years previous, they offer you 200,000 euros, and you understand that getting the property up and operating goes to value you 220,000, with all the trouble that entails, effectively, you consider it. The giant producer advances the cash or asks for the mortgage, with the knowledge that they may find yourself being paid. But the infant receives the cash and prefers to purchase an house.

P. In what different areas are they working?

R. There are nonetheless issues to do, surely. There is the a part of these affected. With the eruption, each ERTE and self-employed layoffs had been deployed. We had about 3,000 affected. When they had been eliminated, on the finish of June, and the peculiar ERTE was switched, there have been solely about 50 instances left. We have already paid the true worth of first properties. There are solely about 18 instances left to resolve. Areas like Puerto Naos or La Bombilla have already recovered by 90% [estas localidades se han mantenido desalojadas años después del fin de la erupción por los gases del volcán]. It is important that every one Administrations get alongside and work collectively.

P. In this sense, a sure stress has been perceived between the central authorities and the Canary Islands, particularly after the 2023 elections. Has collaboration been troublesome?

R. I keep superb relationships. You won’t ever discover me a unfavorable assertion in regards to the Cabildo or the autonomous Government. I’m clear that this works when the Administrations get alongside effectively, as a result of we reside in a decentralized State. The central State, the Government of Spain, is the biggest investor, with three quarters of the cash invested. But there are powers which are regional, island or native. There had been elections, there will probably be others and components will come up. But the technical work will stay agency, and the State’s dedication is actual: it has already mobilized 1,237 million from all ministries, and the symptoms in cash invested, executed and never judicialized, are higher than in different tragedies such because the Lorca earthquakes, the Prestige or the earthquakes in Syria or Türkiye.

P. Is there additionally work being completed sooner or later, not solely to alleviate the results of the volcano?

R. We have the problem of creating this a transformative alternative. La Palma was going a little bit down traditionally. It suffers inhabitants losses, and seems on the maps of emptied Spain: growing older inhabitants and declining exercise charges. To that you just add the monetary disaster and, later, the covid. And on prime of that, a volcano in the best space of ​​the island. Therefore, it’s essential to attempt to assist it enhance and for the island to have a future.

P. What is that this transformation primarily based on?

R. The goal is that a big a part of La Palma’s GDP, round 6%, comes from science. Normally, it contributes about 2%; Spain is at 1.7%; above 2%, nearly reaching 3%, you’ve gotten the Scandinavians, Israel, South Korea, however a little bit extra. 6% of GDP can be spectacular.

P. But how do you attain such a excessive fee?

R. It would come from the ocean, sky and land. We have the sky, the Grantecan [el Gran Telescopio Canarias, el mayor del mundo de esas características]to which is added the dedication to convey the TMT [Telescopio de Treinta Metros, cuyo consorcio baraja La Palma para su construcción]. If it comes out, you’ll have the very best telescope within the northern hemisphere and for the subsequent 20 years the very best likelihood of sky, and with all of the work of Nobel Prize winners right here. In addition, there’s the photo voltaic telescope, which goes to be the biggest in Europe.

P. What is the a part of the land?

R. There are excessive chances in geothermal. We have six public-private initiatives with a chance of 60% every of them. If any of them come out, we may have a renewable island. In truth, the European Union selected La Palma as a collection of islands in Europe to be 100% renewable by 2035. And it’s value remembering that geothermal power is a hard and fast power, not like wind power. In addition, by-products equivalent to spas will be created. This tourism is the one with the best added worth, the one which takes care of well being and spends probably the most cash in an growing older Europe. We add to this the designation to accommodate the National Volcanology Center, with all of the analysis that will probably be carried on the market. La Palma has volcanoes, prestigious organizations… It will find yourself being a reference middle in a couple of years, corresponding to the big analysis facilities within the nation.

P. And the ocean facet?

R. We have the Plocan [la Plataforma Oceánica de Canarias, una infraestructura científica y técnica que persigue impulsar el desarrollo de conocimiento y tecnologías para el uso responsable y sostenible del océano]. The second headquarters is in La Palma [la primera se ubica en Gran Canaria]: It is 3,000 meters underwater and about 2,400 meters excessive. A number of profitability will be obtained from this oceanographic platform. We usually are not conscious of the life that’s starting to be generated within the depths behind the volcano.

P. The numbers are one factor and the emotional state of the palmeros is one other. How are the inhabitants?

R. It has been an actual shock that impacts work, housing and the atmosphere, however above all of the intangible. The irritating factor right here is that regardless of how a lot you do, at most you possibly can equal what you misplaced. But you do not get well the immaterial: not your common house, not your environment or the buddies you have had shut. I believe we’re transferring ahead, and as individuals get well their properties and jobs we are going to overcome it. Volcanoes are a part of our idiosyncrasy, with out them we’d not exist. It’s a love-hate relationship.