Citizens prefer landscapes that combine nature with built infrastructure

A pioneering study analyses the photographs shared by citizens in social networks to evaluate the aesthetic consideration of natural landscapes.

Co-managed small-scale fisheries lead to social and ecological improvements

The co-management model of small groups of fishermen contributes to a greater abundance and habitats of species.

ICTA-UAB to design participative and concurred forest fire prevention strategies for the Montseny region

Scientists from the Institute for Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) aim to design prevention strategies for forest fires occurring in the Montseny Biosphere Reserve through a citizen participation process.

Nace El Observatorio del Besòs: un proyecto de seguimiento de la calidad de los sistemas fluviales de la cuenca

La Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB) a través del Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals (ICTA-UAB), y el Consorci Besòs Tordera evaluarán el estado de calidad a largo plazo de la cuenca del Besòs gracias a la creación de la Observatorio del Besòs.

Shift in large-scale Atlantic circulation causes lower-oxygen water to invade Canada's Gulf of St. Lawrence

The Gulf of St. Lawrence has warmed and lost oxygen faster than almost anywhere else in the global oceans.

Climate Change Modifies the Composition of Reefs

Corals devastated by climate change are being replaced naturally by other species such as gorgonians, which are less efficient in acting as a carbon sink.

ICTA-UAB launches the first master’s Degree in “Political Ecology. Degrowth and Environmental Justice”

The Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA-UAB) launches the master’s Degree in “Political Ecology.

Pioneering study analyses the effects of forests on human health

A group of volunteers have participated in an experimental study conducted by the ICTA-UAB to analyse the potential health benefits of forests.

Marine Litter on Mediterranean Beaches Triples in Summer

The Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) analyses and quantifies the waste generated by tourists in eight islands of the Mediterranean as part of the European BLUEISLANDS project.

Mapping the Urban Vitality of Barcelona

Researchers at the UAB have mapped Barcelona and and 9 surrounding towns using a new methodology based on urbanism activist Jane Jacobs' ideas on how cities should be configured to become vital spaces: 25% of the area is classified as having high vitality.

Agricultural intensification not a “blueprint” for sustainable development

Social and ecological results of increased agricultural intensification are not as positive as expected.

Green urban planning must consider social equity criteria

Cities that do not include social equity criteria into their political strategies to make their urban environment greener and more ecological will not achieve long-term sustainability and risk creating green enclaves only for the social elite.

The ICTA-UAB alerts of a new invasive Asian beetle pest in Catalonia that kills mulberry trees

A study by researcher of the ICTA-UAB and the Department of Agriculture Víctor Sarto i Monteys has identified in the province of Barcelona the presence of a species from Asia that could spread through Europe.

More than 120 ICTA-UAB researchers addressed environmental challenges at a symposium, especially those arising from global and...

The Institut of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) organized its 1st Spring Symposium with the aim of addressing some of the main environmental and sustainability challenges.

Low-carbon energy transition requires more renewables than previously thought

A new study by ICTA-UAB analyzes the impacts on lifestyles of substituting fossil fuels for cleaner energies.

Are Farmers Who Belong to Local User Associations Better Adapted to Climate Change?

Droughts, floods and high temperatures derived from climate change are not the only threats that farmers with irrigated crops must face.

Climate Change Threatens World's Largest Seagrass Carbon Stores

Shark Bay seagrass carbon storage hotspot suffers alarming losses after a devastating marine heat wave, according to a study led by ICTA-UAB researchers.

Amazon's indigenous people hunt animals feeding in areas contaminated by oil spills

A study by the ICTA-UAB and the UAB Department of Animal Health and Anatomy demonstrates that the main species hunted by the indigenous popoulations of the Peruvian Amazon ingest water and soil contaminated with hidrocarbons and heavy metals.

The new Planttes app warns of allergy risks in different urban areas

The Planttes application is a citizen science project which aims to encourage people to identify and locate on a map the existence of allergy-causing plants and indicate their phenological state.

New Project to Link Extreme Weather Events, Atmospheric Biodiversity and Human Health

A new ICTA-UAB project led by researcher Jordina Belmonte will study the effects of extreme meteorological events on the biological biodiversity present in the atmosphere in order to predict changes in the environment and possible affectations on human health.

ICTA-UAB’s success: five ERC grants in two years

The Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) has been awarded five European Research Council (ERC) grants in two years, which is about ten per cent of all ERC grants arriving in Catalonia over the period from the end of 2015 to the end of 2017.

New ICTA-UAB 'Welcome Guide'

The new ICTA-UAB 'Welcome Guide' it is at your disposal now. With this document, we aim to help you discover the basics of the PhD programme, ICTA-UAB’s structure, etc.
Education

ICTA-UAB offers two masters and one doctoral (PhD) programme. They reflect an interdisciplinary approach, within which students can chose the learning trajectory that best fits their interests and capabilities. The PhD programme has been awarded the official quality label of the Spanish government.

One of the themes that receives much attention in education is Climate change and climate policy.

The Master’s Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies in Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability is a UAB cross-disciplinary and inter-departmental initiative with an international focus. The MSc has a flexible study program that offers not only advanced level studies for graduates in Environmental Sciences, but also added value for many other graduates who want to develop an environmental profile in their CV.
The Joint European Master in Environmental Studies: Cities and Sustainability (JEMES CiSu) is offered by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain), Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg (Germany; coordinating institution), Universidade de Aveiro (Portugal) and Aalborg University (Denmark). These four leading European universities have joined forces to provide an integrated, state-of-the-art technological and management education.
The PhD in Environmental Science and Technology is a UAB program adapted to the new European Higher Education Area (EHEA), leading to an EU officially recognized doctoral degree. The PhD candidate develops a doctoral dissertation supervised by at least one member of ICTA's staff while an internal scientific committee monitors her/his progress annually. ICTA allows PhD students to have co-supervisor(s) from other Spanish or international research institutions.
La Agroecología es una propuesta triple como disciplina científica, conjunto de prácticas de manejo agrario y movimiento social. Se ocupa del creciente papel de las cuestiones agroalimentarias en la agenda social local y global, a través de la construcción de soluciones alternativas frente a la pérdida de sostenibilidad en el sistema agroalimentario industrial y globalizado. En la escala local, trata cuestiones relacionadas con la cohesión territorial y social en los medios rural y urbano, y de las relaciones entre ambos mundos. A través de la reconstrucción de la cadena alimentaria desde un enfoque de equidad social y justicia ambiental, la perspectiva agroecológica plantea modelos de transición social y ecológica que trascienden la alimentación. Plantea nuevos proyectos de sostenibilidad ligados al territorio y a la capacidad de las comunidades locales de decidir cómo y con qué finalidad se gestionan algunos de los bienes comunes más básicos, como la alimentación, la tierra, las semillas o el agua.

ICTA-UAB regulary offers additional training to its PhD students, and invites other doctoral students from abroad to participate in summer schools or advanced seminars on diferent topics that relate to our Research Areas and themes.

ICTA's Activities