The Minister of Sustainability and Environment of the Andalusian Government, Catalina García, visited the facilities of the Agency of Environment and Water (Amaya) to firsthand learn about the Andalusian Reference Laboratory for Air Quality (Larca) and the Environmental Quality Data Center (CDCA). Both centers play a «fundamental role» in monitoring air quality in Andalusia, ensuring the reliability of the data provided by the Air Quality Surveillance and Control Network of the autonomous community, the most extensive in Spain with 94 fixed stations distributed throughout the territory.
During the visit, García highlighted the importance of the work carried out at these facilities, emphasizing that «Andalusia has established a cutting-edge structure for environmental monitoring, allowing us to effectively address the challenges posed by air quality and its impact on public health and the environment.» In this regard, she commended the Junta’s continuous improvement efforts in these systems, with an investment of over 1.26 million euros since 2019 in acquiring mobile units and state-of-the-art equipment to enhance the analysis and response capacity to episodes of atmospheric pollution.
The Andalusian Reference Laboratory for Air Quality (Larca), operational as such since 2013, is one of the two only reference laboratories in this field at the national level. Its establishment as a laboratory dates back to 1998, and in 2001 it becomes the first in the country to receive ENAC accreditation (National Accreditation Entity) for conducting tests in the chemical and fluid areas of atmospheric emissions and immissions. However, it is not until 2013 that it becomes a reference center in Spain.
Its main function is the management of the data quality from all stations of the Air Quality Surveillance and Control Network. To achieve this, it carries out verifications, calibrations, and audits that ensure the accuracy of the measurements, as well as organizes interlaboratory intercomparison exercises involving public bodies and private companies in the sector.
Just last week, the Larca organized a nationwide intercomparison exercise to evaluate the accuracy of the measurements of accredited air quality laboratories. From March 17 to 21, it brought together nine specialized companies from different autonomous communities in Seville, which worked with their own equipment in the Agency’s mobile units. «This initiative, pioneering in its format, positions Andalusia as a technical reference at the national level,» she asserted.
During the exercise, participants calibrated atmospheric pollutant analyzers such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, ozone, benzene, or PM10 particles, among others. In addition to providing the analyzers, Larca conducted measurements before and after each intervention to ensure the stability of the equipment. Based on the results obtained, the laboratory prepares a statistical study that allows evaluating the accuracy of each participant against a consensus value. This type of exercise, as detailed, is essential to maintain quality accreditations before ENAC, and so far had not been carried out in Spain with this methodology.
On the other hand, the Environmental Quality Data Center (CDCA) continuously monitors, 24 hours a day and 365 days a year, the information collected by the surveillance network. This control system, with a trajectory of more than two decades, is a reference at the European level and has allowed improving the response capacity to pollution episodes, as well as designing strategic plans to improve air quality in Andalusia.
The minister emphasized that «the Andalusian Government has opted for precise and continuous monitoring of air quality, allowing us to provide rigorous information to the public and establish effective measures for the protection of health and the environment.» Likewise, she valued the work of the technicians at Amaya in this area, whose work has been key to the implementation of specific measurement campaigns and the improvement of action protocols in environmental quality.
Advanced technology for environmental management
In addition to air quality analysis, the Agency of Environment and Water of Andalusia is incorporating cutting-edge technological tools for forest management and environmental control. In this context, Catalina García has been able to learn in detail about the devices that Amaya uses for data capture in the field, highlighting the role of drones, rover vehicles, and advanced sensorization systems.
The Agency has a fleet of 11 drones operated by 12 certified pilots, making it the first drone operator of the Junta of Andalusia. These devices allow obtaining information in hard-to-reach areas without risking technical personnel and have specialized sensors for cartography, monitoring of protected flora and fauna species, detection of invasive species, or evaluation of the state of aquatic ecosystems by taking samples in contaminated environments.
In addition to aerial drones, Amaya has incorporated underwater exploration equipment, such as an ROV vehicle capable of operating up to 300 meters deep, facilitating the monitoring of marine ecosystems and the surveillance of invasive species in the waters of the Andalusian coast. To these systems is added an unmanned boat equipped with side-scan sonar, allowing bathymetry in rivers and reservoirs for the analysis of sedimentation processes.
Another of the most innovative devices presented has been the ‘Mobile Mapping’ system, a technology that allows the massive capture of data through spherical cameras installed in off-road vehicles, generating 360° models similar to those of ‘Google Street View.’ This tool facilitates the georeferencing of elements in the natural environment, optimizing fieldwork times and improving the accuracy of environmental analyses.
The minister highlighted that «the incorporation of these tools represents a qualitative leap in environmental management in Andalusia, allowing us to improve efficiency and safety in the development of fieldwork.» Additionally, she noted that the investment effort in these equipment, which has reached two million euros since 2019, reflects the Junta’s commitment to the modernization of environmental monitoring and control systems.
In the context of this technological modernization, Catalina García also supervised the operation of the eight forest management rover vehicles, an innovative remote-controlled clearing system that improves the safety of workers in hard-to-reach areas. These equipment, acquired in 2024, have caterpillar traction and can operate on slopes of up to 55 degrees, significantly reducing the risks associated with this type of tasks and allowing more efficient management of forest lands.
The minister highlighted the commitment of the Andalusian Government to innovation in the management of the natural environment, stating that «thanks to these technological advances, we can optimize the use of resources and improve fire prevention, as well as the conservation of our natural spaces.» In this regard, she emphasized the importance of continuing to promote the development of innovative solutions that contribute to sustainability and environmental protection.
Also present during the visit were the Secretary General of Environment and Climate Change, María López Sanchís; the Managing Director of AMAYA, Javier de Torre; the Director of Environment and Sustainability of AMAYA, Ignacio Morales; the Director of Corporate Services and R&D+i Technical Services, Jesús Crespo, and the Director of Water Management and Environmental Quality, María Luisa López Cánovas, among other authorities.
Amaya in figures for 2025
The Agency of Environment and Water of Andalusia will have a total budget of 171.4 million euros in 2025, funded through self-financed resources (100 million), orders received from own means (29.8 million), European funds (FEADER 35.6 million and other European funds 1.4 million), and earmarked revenues (4.6 million).
Regarding the managed facilities, the agency manages 126 centers throughout Andalusia, of which 88 are public use facilities (such as visitor centers, marked trails, or recreational areas) and 38 correspond to other environmental facilities and natural resource management. These infrastructures are distributed across the eight Andalusian provinces, with Cadiz leading in the number of facilities (22), followed by Granada (21) and Jaén (20).
In terms of planning, Amaya develops a Management Program with operational objectives and 68 key indicators, as well as an Annual Action Plan with 371 actions and 636 monitoring indicators, representing almost half of the agency’s overall indicators.
In human resources terms, Amaya has 1,558 employees, distributed in different professional groups. Among them, technicians and specialists stand out, as well as auxiliary and base personnel. This staff includes specifically 308 employees with labor continuity from INFOCA, reinforcing the operational capacity of the agency in fire prevention tasks, as well as in natural environment management.