Tenerife and La Palma Demand Action on Stalled National Volcanology Center

Tenerife and La Palma have joined forces to challenge what they call an "unjustified stalemate" by the Spanish government. The two island councils are demanding that the state stop delaying the launch of the National Volcanology Center (CNV), a project promised after the 2021 volcanic crisis that is now facing budget cuts and administrative uncertainty.

The conflict stems from a failure to finalize an agreement between the Ministry of Science and the regional government. Furthermore, the project’s budget has reportedly been slashed from an initial five million euros to 2.9 million. Tenerife’s president, Rosa Dávila, argues that these delays and funding cuts threaten the center's future, noting that the facility is essential for safety and disaster prevention across the Canary Islands.

The project, approved by the Council of Ministers in 2025, was designed as a partnership: La Palma would host the headquarters, drawing on its recent experience with the Tajogaite eruption, while Tenerife would provide its technical resources and research expertise. This model was intended to combine local operational experience with academic knowledge.

Tenerife’s leadership has issued a firm warning: any attempt to move management away from the islands or change the project’s original scope would be a major step backward for the region’s ability to manage its own geological risks. The islands maintain that effective volcanic monitoring requires local presence and that previous agreements must be honored.

The island authorities are calling on the state to fulfill its promises, emphasizing that the coordination seen during the 2021 emergency was vital. The decision now rests with the Ministry, which must decide whether to support the CNV as a national priority or allow it to remain stalled by bureaucracy and budget constraints.