In collaboration with
- The Director of LAVA BOMBS: Truths Behind the Volcano, Executive Producer of LAVA BOMBS: The Reconstruction, Alexander Whittle’s vision and experience helped to drive the narrative to define Lava Bombs, and he was critical in bringing this story to the big screen.
- Felipe Ravina, Canarian marine biologist, activist, and film-maker. Winner of Cimasub 2022 and 2024.
- Jaime Coello, Hydrogeologist and Director, Fundación Telesforo Bravo.
For decades, the tourism model in the Canary Islands has relied on attracting an ever-increasing number of tourists. This is unsustainable in a fragile biodiversity hotspot where glorious natural resources and endemic wildlife are under increasing strain. Local activists are becoming vociferous in their rejection of luxury developments destroying some of the last vestiges of the natural environment on the coast of the Canary Islands and have come up against fierce opposition from developers. We believe it is time to rethink the old development model. Thanks to two years of research on previous GeoIntern programmes, the geological deposits in Puetito de Adeje were added to the Spanish National Survey’s inventory of sites of geological interest with a high protection priority. We are working closely with local environmental and resident groups to call for their protection from a proposed luxury tourism resort. Our advocacy work has included a range of interviews with local, national, and international TV and press outlets.
We are currently producing a documentary on the challenges of implementing a more sustainable tourism model in the Canary Islands, called “Plunder for Profit”. On this novel programme, you will help us to assess the claims made by a new proposed resort, Underwater Gardens, and participate in making our new documentary slated for release on international platforms in 2026. This programme is not just an academic exercise but is at the heart of GeoTenerife’s advocacy for policy change in the Canary Islands, using our work to amplify local resident concerns. We are looking for applications from students who are environmentally conscious and keen to make an impact, preferably with some communication/outreach experience.