Julio Berbel Vecino , Catedrático de la Universidad de Córdoba, Doctor Ingeniero Agrónomo y Master (M.A.) Agricultural Economics (1986). Su actividad reciente se ha centrado en la economía agraria y ambiental y ha participado activamente en la implementación de la Directiva Marco de Aguas en España y Europa así como en la elaboración de Planes Hidrológicos de Demarcación. En su producción académica destacan la publicación de más de 100 publicaciones internacionales y 50 proyectos y convenios de investigación. Ha participado en la gestión de empresas agroalimentarias (QUASH, SA, Bodegas Nueva Andalucía, Mercacordoba) y de servicios ambientales (Biomasa del Guadalquivir, Sadeco).

Rafael es Dr. Ingeniero de Montes por la Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, y actualmente investigador responsable del Grupo de Evaluación y restauración de sistemas agrícolas y forestales cuyas actividades principales están centradas en el estudio de sistemas forestales, selvicultura, restauración y aplicación de nuevas tecnologías al estudio de en ambientes Mediterráneos y tropicales. Ha realizado estancias en centros de investigación en la Universidad de Missouri-Columbia, Universidad de Berkeley, Instituto Agronómico Hassan II de Rabat, Land Development Authority-Israel, Universidad de Murdoch (Australia), y ha participado en varios proyectos europeos. Estas colaboraciones han dado lugar a varias publicaciones en revistas internacionales (Environmemtal Management, Journal of Arid Environments, Forest Ecology and Management, Annals of Forest Science, Ecological Engineering, Remote Sensing of Environment, etc.).

Cecilia graduated from University of Florence with a BSc in Science and Technology of Food at the University of Florence. She was awarded a PhD from the University of Córdoba conducting a study on hyperspectral techniques for food security purposes (SAFEED European Project, VI Framework Programme). During the investigation she has had the opportunity to visit several European research centers and to carry out scientific studies published in international journals. She also has background in international development cooperation. She formerly worked for a project on cooperation for development in Ecuador and Peru and as development project manager in Spain.

Pieter, a Belgian forestry engineer, has been working in different projects in leading positions since 2007, gaining work experience in developing, implementing and evaluating development projects, focusing in the field of forestry and natural resource management. He has a broad understanding and knowledge ranging from general administrative and coordinating tasks, to technical supervision (inventories, GIS, etc.) and the development of participatory techniques and training modules. He has the necessary international, hands-on NRM experience and cultural sensibility through his several projects abroad like in Afghanistan or Rwanda.

He provides methodological support in participatory techniques like stakeholder mapping and prospective analysis.

Pepa is a PhD candidate interested in the psychological and social dimensions of risk and climate change. Her research focuses on risk perception and communication and public understanding of climate change.

She has broad interest in understanding how the idea of climate change is individually and collectively constructed and how climate change messages out of scientific results are conveyed to raise behaviour change.  

Pepa has previously worked in the field of rural development exploring urban-rural migration movements and she has developed her career within an international setting.  She has a BSc in Sociology awarded by the University of Salamanca (Spain) and a joint International MSc in Rural Development, Wageningen University.

COMET-LA is leaded by Prof. Mª del Mar Delgado, from the University of Córdoba. She has participated in different research and education international projects funded by multilateral organisms and international organizations such as UNESCO, FAO, IADB, UNDP, World Bank, and have ample working experience in Latin America. Her research background has focused on development policies, sustainability and rural development. At present, she concentrates her effort in linking social and environmental perspectives in the analysis of  current problems and in connecting science and research to society.

Civil and scientific organisations are looking for local solutions to environmental problems to which Latin America is facing. Good practises carried out with local communities are being studied in Colombia, México and Argentina.

(Córdoba, España, 13-15 de febrero de 2012)

The assembly of "commoners" was favorable and resounding for COMET - LA, with a quorum of 160 people.

Exciting interview with the members of COMET-LA Argentina to explain the objectives of the project

("Hola Peuhen"; Argentina, May 19th 2012)

On June 13, 2012, the project coordinator, Maria del Mar Delgado Serrano, presented the challenges of research on climate change and the project COMET-LA to secondary school students.