‘Málaga Viva’ Award to Bioazul for its adaptation to climate change

On October 21, Bioazul received the ‘Málaga Viva’ award together with the rest of the winners: Association of Friends of the La Concepción Botanical-Historical Garden, Alhaurín de la Torre City Council and the biologist Manuel Rendón Martos. This award, granted by Diputación de Málaga, is a recognition of all those companies, institutions, social entities and people involved in the fight against climate change.

The awards ceremony took place during the 5^th Málaga Viva Meeting, which this time had to be held online due to the current COVID-19 pandemic. This meeting brought together scientists and researchers who are experts in the dissemination of the fight and adaptation to climate change.

The jury of the 3^rd ‘Málaga Viva’ Awards awarded Bioazul with the Wind award, aimed at companies’ experiences, for our commitment to the reuse of wastewater for use in agriculture as a measure in the fight against climate change. On the other hand, the Tree award, intended for non-profit organizations, was given to the Association of Friends of the La Concepción Historical-Botanical Garden for the environmental volunteering that it carries out both in the Montes de Málaga and in the botanical garden.

The Climate award, to recognize projects carried out by municipalities, autonomous local entities, associations and rural development groups, was awarded to the City Council of Alhaurín de la Torre for an initiative for the handmade manufacture of crochet awnings with reusable wool scraps for the shading of the streets.

And finally, the Sea award, in order to value people for their work, career and educational, academic or professional experience, has been given to Manuel Rendón Martos, conservative director of the Laguna de Fuente de Piedra Natural Reserve, the most extensive area of Andalusia with its 1,400 hectares.

This edition was also very special since the ‘Málaga Viva’ initiative was awarded one of the 2020 Environmental Awards, granted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Sustainable Development of the Junta de Andalucía.

With regard to the 5^th Málaga Viva Meeting, it focused on biodiversity and climate change as the central axis for reflection and debate. The round table on ‘Keys to preserving climate balance and the health of the planet’ was very successful and featured the participation of great experts such as Ainhoa Magrach, researcher at the BC3-Basque Center for Climate Change, a center of excellence in research on the causes and consequences of climate change; Pilar Marín, senior personal marine scientist at Oceana, the largest international organization dedicated exclusively to protecting the world’s oceans; and Enrique Segovia, conservation director of WWF Spain (World Wildlife Fund), the largest independent international organization dedicated to the defense of nature and the environment.