ICTA - Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals

The Institute of Environmental Science and Technology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) is a multidisciplinary centre that promotes academic research and postgraduate education on environmental sciences. It aims to improve our understanding of global environmental change, and the nature and causes of environmental problems. In addition, it studies policies, strategies and technologies to foster a transition to a sustainable economic and societal model.

The ICTA-UAB addresses major global environmental and sustainability challenges related to anthropogenic climate and global change. Researchers at ICTA-UAB undertake advanced research in specific areas of environmental science, divided into three general areas, namely “Earth and life sciences”, “Social environmental sciences” and “Technology, environment and society”.

About the Unit of Excellence María de Maeztu ICTA-UAB is the only research centre in environmental sciences to be identified as a Unit of Excellence by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO), the highest institutional recognition of scientific research in Spain.

Usage statistics Most popular
Latest additions:
2025-11-27
04:15
50 p, 34.8 MB Seamounts of Cabo Verde : A review of their ecological and economic significance, anthropogenic impacts, and conservation needs / Orejas, Covadonga (Instituto Español de Oceanografía) ; Vinha, Beatriz (Universitat de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals) ; Ainsworth, Gillian B. (Universidad de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Economía Aplicada) ; Saldanha, Sarah (Universitat de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals) ; Militão, Teresa (Universidade de Coimbra. Departamento de Ciências da Vida) ; Mohn, Christian (Aarhus University. Department of Ecoscience) ; Hansteen, Thor H. (Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel) ; Ratão, Sara S. (Universidade do Porto. Departamento de Biologia) ; Hoving, Henk Jan (Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel) ; Amaro, Teresa (Universidade de Aveiro. Departamento de Biologia) ; Anderson, Dominique M.J. (Heriot-Watt University. The Institute of Life and Earth Sciences) ; Araújo, Deusa (Associação Projecto Vitó (Cabo Verde)) ; Correia, Ana Mafalda (Universidade do Porto. Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental) ; Berrow, Simon (Irish Whale and Dolphin Group) ; Dinis, Herculano A. (Associação Projecto Vitó (Cabo Verde)) ; Freitas, Rui (Universidade Técnica do Atlântico. Instituto de Engenharia e Ciências do Mar (Cabo Verde)) ; Lopes, Evandro (Universidade Técnica do Atlântico. Instituto de Engenharia e Ciências do Mar (Cabo Verde)) ; Lopes, Vanessa (Associação Projecto Vitó (Cabo Verde)) ; Lopez, Pedro (Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development Association (Cabo Verde)) ; Peixoto Macedo, Thais (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; March, David (Universitat de València. Institut Cavanilles de Biodiversitat i Biologia Evolutiva) ; Martins, Samir (Environmental Conservation and Sustainable Development Association (Cabo Verde)) ; Matos, Diana M. (Universidade de Coimbra. Departamento de Ciências da Vida) ; Medrano, Fernando (Universitat de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals) ; Melo, Tommy (Biosfera Cabo Verde) ; Monteiro, Gilda (Terrimar-Ambiente e Desenvolvimento Sustentável (Cabo Verde)) ; Mosquera Giménez, Ángela (Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. Instituto de Oceanografía y Cambio Global) ; Paiva, Vitor H. (Universidade de Coimbra. Departamento de Ciências da Vida) ; Queiroz, Nuno (Universidade do Porto. Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos) ; Schütte, Florian (Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel) ; Stauffer, Julian B. (Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel) ; Taxonera, Albert (Associação Projeto Biodiversidade (Cabo Verde)) ; Weelden, Celine Van (Universitat de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals) ; González-Solís, Jacob (Universitat de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals) ; Huvenne, Veerle A.I. (Hanse-Wissenschaftskolleg Institute for Advanced Study)
The deep-sea areas of the Cabo Verde Archipelago remain largely unexplored, with seamounts standing out as the most prominent and abundant geomorphological features. The ecological significance of these underwater structures is well-documented in various regions of the planet, as they often serve as biodiversity hotspots, stepping stones for species connectivity and, in some cases, areas with high levels of endemism. [...]
2026 - 10.1016/j.pocean.2025.103579
Progress in Oceanography, Vol. 240 (January 2026) , art. 103579  
2025-11-27
04:15
11 p, 3.0 MB PFAS and the pollution trap contested knowledge in environmental justice struggles / Van Der Donk, Layla Lome (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Llavero Pasquina, Marcel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. SGR-Grup de Recerca Economia Ecològica)
Emerging evidence on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination hotspots has put these persistent chemicals under growing scrutiny. However, chemical corporations' deliberate efforts at veiling risks associated with PFAS have led regulatory bodies to give a slow response to this ominous environmental and public health threat. [...]
2025 - 10.1016/j.envsci.2025.104281
Environmental science & policy, Vol. 174 (December 2025) , art. 104281  
2025-11-27
04:15
11 p, 2.1 MB Large scale hydrogeochemical and isotopic observations in the Baltic Sea system / McKenzie, Tristan (University of Gothenburg) ; Majtényi-Hill, Claudia (University of Gothenburg) ; Henriksson, Linnea (University of Gothenburg) ; Ljungberg, Wilma (University of Gothenburg) ; Reithmaier, Gloria M. S. (University of Gothenburg) ; Cotovicz, Luiz C. (Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde) ; Lencina-Avila, Jannine M. (Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde) ; Mitschke, Nico (Carl von Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg) ; Böttcher, Michael Ernst (University of Rostock) ; Szymczycha, Beata (Institute of Oceanology Polish Academy of Sciences) ; Ulfsbo, Adam (University of Gothenburg) ; Tomer, Aprajita S. (University of Gothenburg) ; Cardis, Tibaud (University of Gothenburg) ; Hall, Per O. J. (University of Gothenburg) ; Holloway, Ceylena (Southern Cross University) ; Rodriguez-Puig, Júlia (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Física) ; Börjesson, Solveig (University of Gothenburg) ; Yau, Yvonne Y. Y. (Stockholm University) ; Zhao, Shibin (Ocean University of China) ; Cheung, Henry L. S. (University of Gothenburg) ; Bonaglia, Stefano (University of Gothenburg) ; Politi, Tobia (University of Gothenburg) ; Zetterholm, Linda (Umeå University) ; Verbücheln, Nicolai (University of Gothenburg) ; Schmiedinger, Iris ((IOW). Geochemistry & Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research) ; Rehder, Gregor (Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde) ; Dittmar, Thorsten (Ossietzky Universität Oldenburg) ; Tysklind, Mats (Umeå University) ; Inostroza, Pedro A. (University of Gothenburg) ; Tronholm, Ana (University of Gothenburg) ; Santos, Isaac R. (University of Gothenburg) ; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals
We report hydrogeochemical and isotopic observations across the Baltic Sea from two research expeditions: (1) a ~5000 km cruise-track onboard the R/V Skagerak in 2023 and (2) a land-based sampling for terrestrial endmembers in 2024. [...]
2025 - 10.1038/s41597-025-06217-9
Scientific data, Vol. 12 (November 2025) , art. 1757  
2025-11-25
04:18
4 p, 424.5 KB Development as multidimensional environmental impoverishment / Martínez Alier, Joan (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Rodríguez-Labajos, Beatriz (Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Departament de Ciències Polítiques i Socials)
Poverty is multidimensional. Economic growth often implies environmental impoverishment and hence diminished options to choose valuable lives. People who are deprived of access to land, clean water and air because of extractive industries or as victims of waste disposal, often complain accordingly. [...]
2026 - 10.1016/j.worlddev.2025.107228
World development, Vol. 199 (March 2026) , art. 107228  
2025-11-18
04:40
10 p, 1.7 MB Energy use per hour is key determinant of future transport energy consumption / Hunter-Batal, Majdi (McGill University) ; Fajzel, William (McGill University) ; Manaugh, Kevin (McGill University) ; Otto, Ross A (McGill University) ; Galbraith, Eric (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals)
Transportation is a growing component of global energy consumption. Improvements in efficiency over time have reduced the energy used per kilometre travelled, but so far this has not reversed the increasing energy consumption per person. [...]
2025 - 10.1088/1748-9326/ae1246
Environmental research letters, Vol. 20, Issue 11 (October 2025) , art. 114045  
2025-11-14
19:19
22 p, 915.4 KB El impacto del turismo en la Lengua de Barbarie (delta del río Senegal) / Toure, Elhadji-Oumar (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Romagosa Casals, Francesc (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Geografia)
Ndiébène Gandiol, un municipio situado en el delta del río Senegal, tiene como principal atractivo turístico el Parque Nacional de la Lengua de Barbarie. Este espacio es actualmente un destino ecoturístico incipiente, pero el impacto de la actividad turística ya es evidente, tanto sobre el medio ambiente como sobre la sociedad y la economía local. [...]
Ndiébène Gandiol, a municipality located in the Senegal river delta, has as the main tourism attraction the Langue de Barbarie National Park. This area is currently an incipient ecotourism destination, but the impact of the tourism activity is already clear, both over the environment and over the local society and economy. [...]

2013
Cuadernos de Turismo, Núm. 31 (2013) , p. 289-309
2 documents
2025-11-12
08:57
34 p, 1.5 MB Ideas and perspectives : mineralizing fluid control on minor elements in biogenic CaCO 3 : insights from otoliths / Kekelou, Athina (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Langer, Gerald (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Ziveri, Patrizia (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia)
The minor element composition of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) biominerals from marine calcifying organisms leaving a sedimentary record has been used for decades to reconstruct various biogeochemical parameters. [...]
2025 - 10.5194/egusphere-2025-5251  
2025-11-12
08:57
36 p, 1.6 MB Successful water governance pathways across problem contexts : a global qualitative comparative analysis / Bilalova, Shahana (Leuphana University) ; Jager, Nicolas (Wageningen University and Research) ; Newig, Jens (Leuphana University) ; Villamayor Tomás, Sergio (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals) ; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Ciència Política i de Dret Públic
It is widely acknowledged that the global water crisis is a governance crisis. To be effective, governance interventions must be designed to align with the specific context in which they are implemented. [...]
2025 - 10.5751/ES-16402-300402
Ecology and society, Vol. 30, Issue 4 (November 2025) , art. 2  
2025-11-08
18:52
8 p, 3.6 MB A perspective on the interpretability of poverty maps derived from Earth Observation / Watmough, Gary R. (University of Edinburgh) ; Brockington, Dan (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Dret Privat) ; Marcinko, Charlotte L.J. (Government Actuary's Department) ; Hall, Ola (Lund University) ; Pritchard, Rose (University of Manchester) ; Berchoux, Tristan (University of Montpellier) ; Gibson, Lesley (Stellenbosch University) ; Delamonica, Enrique (United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund) ; Boyd, Doreen (University of Nottingham) ; Mlambo, Reason (University of Edinburgh) ; Ó Héir, Seán (University of Edinburgh) ; Seth, Sohan (University of Edinburg) ; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals
The use of Earth Observation Data and Machine Learning models to generate gridded micro-level poverty maps has increased in recent years, with several high-profile publications. producing some compelling results. [...]
2025 - 10.1016/j.srs.2025.100298
Science of Remote Sensing, Vol. 12 (December 2025) , art. 100298  
2025-11-07
09:47
7 p, 789.9 KB Towards a forward-looking ethnobiology : envisioning and co-creating biocultural futures / Fernández-Llamazares, Álvaro (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Biologia Animal, de Biologia Vegetal i d'Ecologia) ; Teixidor-Toneu, Irene (Mediterranean Institute of marine and terrestrial Biodiversity and Ecology) ; Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Institut de Ciència i Tecnologia Ambientals
In the face of accelerating environmental and socio-political changes, there is value in expanding the temporal scope of ethnobiology to more actively engage with the future. This perspective explores the potential of a forward-looking ethnobiology that incorporates methods from Futures Studies to co-envision and co-produce sustainable biocultural futures in partnership with Indigenous Peoples and local communities. [...]
2025 - 10.1186/s13002-025-00820-1
Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, Vol. 21 (October 2025) , art. 72  
Focus on:
The Barcelona Lab for Urban Environmental Justice and Sustainability (55)
Environmental and Climate Economics (ECE) (86)
Integrated Assessment: Sociology, Technology and the Environment (IASTE) (65)
Integrated Earth System Dynamics Laboratory (IESD) (27)
Observatori de la Tordera (15)
Sustainability and Environmental Protection (Sostenipra) (147)