Interview to Ernesto Castañeda, president of Anque
The National Association of Chemists of Spain (
Which balance do from Anque of the Conference ChemH2Or celebrated recently in Madrid? What feedback have received by part of the assistants?
The final assessment of the conference is very positive. We have had 113 inscribed, pertinent of all Europe, and with speakers of prime importance, so much of the public sector as of the private, what has situated to the conference like an initiative of reference in the sector of the water, a sector in which it exists an important group of professionals of the chemicals working in the development of new technologies.
But are speaking of a first experience that has to have greater route. So much from the Anque, as from Dechema, pretend that these sectorial annual meetings, that will celebrate alternatively in Spain and Germany, turn into a referent inside the chemical industry. With this first conference have put the very high level, and have to follow working for keeping the commitment and the quality reached.
In bold strokes, which conclusions have been able to take out of this Conference regarding the relation between Water and Chemical? How it can contribute the chemical industry to improve the indexes of sustainability in this field?
Are many the ideas that have left us the wall of 30 reports that have given form to the conference. Although it is true that there is a concept that was present along the event. And it is that it seems clear that the increasing concentration of the population in big cities and the shortage of water in determinate zones, are at the same time a challenge and an opportunity of development for the chemical industry, that will demand of a narrow collaboration between the different actors involved, so many publics like private.
Is evident that the chemicals and the chemists exert an essential paper to the hour to tackle all the appearances related with the water. It treats of a strategic sector in which, only in Europe, exist 70.000 operators, that employ to 600.000 workers. His investments in infrastructures rise to 33.000 annual millions in his more than 3.500.000 km of pipes of networks of distribution, 2.500.000 km in saneamiento and more than 70.000 stations debuggers of waste water.
Have already closed the subject and the dates of the next Conference that organise Anque jointly with Dechema?
Our commitment with Dechema bases in the alternation in the organisation of the conferences. Like this, next year it will develop in Frankfurt, although they still are not fixed the subject and the dates of celebration.
“The economic recovery Spaniard only will be possible if urgently they undertake politics oriented to improve the industrial competitiveness”
Centring us already in appearances more general of the chemical sector in Spain… how would define the situation that cross the chemists in our country?
The chemical sector initiated in 2010 a way of recovery with data of growth very positive, but to finals of 2011, and in spite of the good initial forecasts, produced a new productive fall. In spite of this ralentización, the sector follows keeping a high penetration in the external markets, where realizar more than 50% of the sales, allowing keep a positive figure of business. But, besides, the Spanish chemists present a big flexibility of face to the research of possible coherent employments with his learning, what reduces the labour problems in regard to other titled upper. Nevertheless, the situation in Spain follows resulting difficult.
Taking into account the reduction that has produced in investment in R&D by part of the Administration (of 5,7% in 2011, according to Cotec), in which measure is affecting these lower resources to the laboratories and chemical professionals?
Another factor that will keep on being key for the recovery is our innovative and technological capacity when accumulating 26% of all the investments in R&D realizar by all the Spanish industry in group. The economic recovery Spaniard only will be possible if urgently they undertake politics oriented to improve the industrial competitiveness, what involves a normative frame jurídicamente safe for this activity; facilitate the access of products and innovation to external markets; develop infrastructures of transport of commodities by railway industry, and create an energetic system more effective and competitive, between other measures.
In the meantime, given the enormous importance that the investment in R&D has for our sector, is evident that any cut supposes a serious damage for laboratories and chemical professionals.
It has produced a big escape of professionals in front of the situation that crosses the market in Spain?
Sure enough, the fault of labour horizon in Spain is propiciando the exit of our professionals to other countries, particularly of the European surroundings.
It will be very difficult to recover them once finish the crisis?
Is to suppose that his return to our country will be very problematic even once surpassed the crisis. It is to fear that, as it is used to to be usual, the best prepared will be the most reluctant to return to Spain.
From his point of view, like president of Anque, which are the main challenges to which have to confront today the Spanish chemists?
In time of change, of crisis... It is more important that never the commitment, the keep and improve our fortresses, the correct our weaknesses, be very attentive to the threats and explore in depth the opportunities. The future of the association goes through our capacity of analysis and performance in front of the multiple challenges that present us .
One of the sectors that sees the 2014 with greater optimism is the chemist. In fact, Feique speaks of a growth of the sector for the next year of 1,4%, the double of the that estimates the Government for the economy in general. They trust also Uds. In a prompt recovery? Have solid bases to believe it?
The chemical industry is a sector consolidated, that generates in Spain 11% of the Gross Industrial Product and near of 500.000 direct employments, indirect and induced. His volume of annual business reaches the 55.000 million euros and is besides the second exporting elder of the Spanish economy, and the first private investor in protection of the environingingment and R&D.
To the margin of magnitudes macroeconómicas, this industry bets for following leading the contribution to the sustainable development offering answers to the needs more acuciantes of our current and future society. In the environingingmental field, to follow advancing in the continuous improvement of the protection of our surroundings, is necessary to improve the recycling of waste, the development of solutions of echo-design and products of value added obtained by means of processes echo-efficient, all they processes where the intervention of the chemicals and his investigation results indispensable.
With these data and given our eagerness for following contributing sustainable solutions, trust no only in the recovery of the sector but also in his capacity of growth, although it is truth that this vision requires the implication of all the agents involved and in particular of the civil society. From here the important paper that has to play the Chemical Forum and Society, of the that Anque form splits very stood out.
“The chemical can contribute to give global solutions to problems related with the power and the climatic change, water and feeding, demographic growth and health, maintenance of natural resources and protection of the environingingment”.
Independently of the crisis, how values Unit the image that has today the chemist in the Spanish society? They are really conscious the citizens of the important paper that plays this professional in his day in day out?
Still no. I think that we have surpassed this phase in which it related the chemical ‘word' with all the deplorable and hurtful, but still has not arrived to that our conciudadanos are conscious that “without chemicals there is not life”. Thus the paper of the chemist in our society is not valued still in his just measure.
Follows existing some fear in our society to all the associated to ‘Chemical', that is to say, magnify his dangers and minusvaloran his advantages?
As I have commented him, follows existing fear and ignorance in our society to all the related with the chemicals. From here that it was absolutely necessary the task of diffusion and learning in the knowledge of the science and chemical technology.
How it can contribute the chemical professional to attain a more sustainable world, in his three slopes: social, environingingmental and economic?
The Chemical can contribute to give global solutions to problems related with the power and the climatic change, water and feeding, demographic growth and health, maintenance of natural resources and protection of the environingingment, all they splits of the European Strategy 2020 and of the Spanish Strategy of Science, Technology and of Innovation 2013 – 2020. But the application of these strategies and plans of performance requires economic resources, as of the contrary his utility does not happen of the mere definition in a paper.
How they value from Anque the learning that gives in Spain in the chemical field, from the schools until the universities? There is a lot for doing in this terrain?
From the commission of education of Anque has kept a high degree of activity during these past years. After it seeds it of a decade of work all seems to indicate that it touches to collect fruit that concretise in the incorporation in the ‘preliminary draft of organic law for improvement of the educational quality' of an educational load in chemicals more suitable, inside the CV of the educations of the THIS and Bachillerato.
During the year 2012 prorrogó the agreement of collaboration in matter of permanent learning of the profesorado between the Ministry of Education and Anque. The learning and update of the profesorado incide decisively in the quality of the education and like this signals in the exhibition of reasons of the Organic Law of General Ordination of the Educational System. The Ministry of Education and Anque, joined in the common aim to elevate the quality of the education, collaborate to promote the increase of the offer of learning of the profesorado and the realisation of experiences of educational innovation. This plan of learning is serving of course of expressesion of the professional interests and exchange of experiences, so necessary in the educational professional life. The aim is the scientific update-didactic of the professors through the following concrete actions: Provide didactic resources for the activities of learning, and resources and suggestions for the programmings of the scientific areas-technical; Organisation of Days, Meetings, Congresses between the professionals of the education, creating a forum of meeting and of discussion in front of the educational challenges of this new century. This year the distinct cuts in the Budgets of the State do that to date it have not gone out the annual announcement of helps for these actions, what has not prevented to carry out the planned activities.
However, with everything and with this, think that the “proportionate chemical” learning in the Bachillerato and, especially in the University, do not help to the achievement of the professionals that from Anque wanted to. I think that the Plan Bolonia, such as it is designed and applied, does not provide a sufficient learning to the professionals in general and to the chemists in particular.
To go finishing which situation crosses today Anque? To how many associated represents?
The association represents, to date of today, to a number of 9.250 associated (maximum number of associated reached: 11.680, in the year 2003. Minimum value of associated reached: 8.114, in the year 1979). These data show that from the year 2003 have lost 2.430 associated.
Have to, therefore, take decisions to solve the conflicts arbitrating the precise performances that allow to give suitable answer to the current problems and to the predictable conflictive situations that can go producing in other associations of autonomic field, where the symptoms are not alentadores. It is necessary the restructuring in said communities to abandon the brakes that do not allow to give step to the engine of the growth. The disorder and the economic situation of the country, the new legislations in school matter, the modifications in the plans of current study, the loss of the mutuality, the fault of renewal and the decadence of the spirit asociativo between the professionals are other appearances clearly perniciosos for the asociacionismo, that reflect in the situation that cross.
Anque Represents at present to 9.250 associated.
How would encourage to participate in the association to all those that still are not partners? Which advantages would obtain?
Practically, all our associations of autonomic field integrated in Anque and the own Anque develop multiple activities of all type and offer numerous advantages of type very diverse. However, we do not achieve to do arrive this situation, such as we wanted to, to our current colleagues and futures, in good part because the diffusion of our organisation in the Faculties of Sciences and of Chemical Sciences leaves a lot that wish, as it requires an intense collaboration between the Deanships, the professors of these Faculties and his students. And this carries rigged an additional work to the of each day that, for the time being, results very difficult to attain.
On the other hand, our titled chemists in exercise with one some antiquity seems that they had lost the faith and the illusion by the professional associations. Unfortunately, I think that a lot of neither ask the advantages that the Association can offer them. From here this gradual decaimiento. Thus, we have to be much more active in our penetration and presence in the society. We have to “publicitarnos” more and better.
