European topic centre - university of malaga
Meet our team members
Antonio Sánchez
Environmental scientist, GIS and Remote Sensing specialist
Antonio Sánchez
Environmental scientist, GIS and Remote Sensing specialist
a_sanchez@uma.es
+34 951 952 905
Antonio has developed his career focused on Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing tools, especially in the management and processing of data to calculate indicators and generate illustrative maps of environmental problems of all kind. His main area of work has been marine and wetlands related data, where he has produced the analysis of environmental pressures and sea-coast interactions in different sectors such as transport, fishing, tourism and energy among others, as well as the study of environmental data such as populations of marine species and protected areas. In the field of remote sensing, he has developed different products related to wetland ecosystems using Landsat and Sentinel images, such as land use/land cover maps, surface water dynamics, flood regulation and land use/land cover change indicators. He has also participated as a trainer in remote sensing for different wetland user organizations.
Antonio also works as freelance photographer, graphic and web designer for different companies and public institutions. The experience in this field is put into practice in the ETC-UMA, giving greater versatility to the team when it comes to producing dissemination material for both experts and the general public, as well as in the development and maintenance of web pages.
RESOURCES
Journal Articles
Rodríguez-Rodríguez, D.; Abdul-Malak, D.; Soukissian, T.; Sánchez-Espinosa, A.
Achieving Blue Growth through maritime spatial planning: Offshore wind energy optimization and biodiversity conservation in Spain Journal Article
In: Marine Policy, vol. 73, pp. 8-14, 2016.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Biodiversity, Blue Growth, Climate Change, Conservation and management, Pressures
@article{Rodríguez-Rodríguez2016d,
title = {Achieving Blue Growth through maritime spatial planning: Offshore wind energy optimization and biodiversity conservation in Spain},
author = {D. Rodríguez-Rodríguez and D. Abdul-Malak and T. Soukissian and A. Sánchez-Espinosa},
url = {https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305824278_Achieving_Blue_Growth_through_maritime_spatial_planning_Offshore_wind_energy_optimization_and_biodiversity_conservation_in_Spain},
doi = {10.1016/j.marpol.2016.07.022},
year = {2016},
date = {2016-11-01},
journal = {Marine Policy},
volume = {73},
pages = {8-14},
abstract = {Spain has a high potential for renewable energy production, being the world's third country by installed on-shore wind power. However, it has not yet fully developed its renewable energy production capacity, with no commercial offshore wind production to date, and remains highly dependent on fossil fuel imports. The country is also one of Europe's most biodiverse, on land and at sea. This study spatially assesses the country's offshore wind energy potential by incorporating the newly designated marine protected areas (MPAs) to the official Spanish strategic environmental assessment for the installation of offshore windfarms (SEA). It also identifies optimal areas for offshore windfarm development according to key physical variables such as wind speed, depth and substrate type. It finally assesses real commercial windfarm projects against current environmental constraints. The results show that nearly 50% of the whole area within 24 nm from the Spanish coast could be suitable for offshore windfarm development at the planning phase. However, only 0.7% of that area is optimal for wind energy production with current fixed turbine technology. Nevertheless, either area would allow Spain to meet its national targets of 750 MW of ocean power capacity installed by 2020 under adequate local wind conditions. Over 88% of all commercial windfarm project area is within the SEA's Exclusion zone, thus unfeasible under current circumstances. Technological breakthroughs like floating turbines may soon make the optimal windfarm area (OWA) less restrictive and reduce current environmental impacts of marine windfarms within a truly sustainable Blue Growth.},
keywords = {Biodiversity, Blue Growth, Climate Change, Conservation and management, Pressures},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Rodríguez-Rodríguez, D.; Sánchez-Espinosa, A.; Schröder, C.; Abdul-Malak, D.; Rodríguez, J.
Cumulative pressures and low protection: a concerning blend for Mediterranean MPAs Journal Article
In: Marine Pollution Bulletin, vol. 101, pp. 288-295, 2015.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Climate Change, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures
@article{Rodríguez-Rodrígueza2015,
title = {Cumulative pressures and low protection: a concerning blend for Mediterranean MPAs},
author = {D. Rodríguez-Rodríguez and A. Sánchez-Espinosa and C. Schröder and D. Abdul-Malak and J. Rodríguez},
url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X15300540},
doi = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.09.039},
year = {2015},
date = {2015-12-01},
journal = {Marine Pollution Bulletin},
volume = {101},
pages = {288-295},
abstract = {This study classifies Mediterranean marine protected areas (MPAs) according to the combined result of pressure level and protection. Six major marine environment pressures were considered: pressures from fish farms, fishing, marine litter, pressures from marinas, pollution from maritime transport, and climate change. MPA protection was assessed through legal protection and management effort. Most MPA area in the Mediterranean is under relatively high pressure level and afforded low protection. Inshore areas show higher pressure levels. Five marine ecoregions, nine countries and nineteen MPA designation categories have over 50% of their MPA area under major concern. The mean number of cumulative pressures occurring in priority MPAs ranges between three and four, although the mean combined intensity of those pressures is low. However, these figures are most likely underestimated, especially for the southern Mediterranean. The most concerning pressures to MPAs regarding extent and intensity were: climate change, fishing and pollution from maritime transport.},
keywords = {Climate Change, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Proceedings
Martorell-Guerrero, G.; Marín, A. I.; Sánchez-Espinosa, A.; Schröder, C.
Herramientas de apoyo a la gestión de los humedales de Andalucía basadas en Google Earth Engine. Proceedings
2023.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Climate Change, Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, Geotechnology, Groundwater, Pressures, Wetlands
@proceedings{nokey,
title = {Herramientas de apoyo a la gestión de los humedales de Andalucía basadas en Google Earth Engine.},
author = {G. Martorell-Guerrero and A. I. Marín and A. Sánchez-Espinosa and C. Schröder},
url = {https://riuma.uma.es/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10630/28052/Martorell_et_al_2023_SIAGA.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y},
year = {2023},
date = {2023-11-13},
urldate = {2023-11-13},
booktitle = {Simposio del Agua en Andalucía 2023},
abstract = {Los humedales son ecosistemas claves a nivel global para la provisión de servicios ecosistémicos tan importantes como la regulación climática o el mantenimiento de la biodiversidad. Sin embargo, en las últimas décadas la situación de degradación y desaparición de estos hábitats es alarmante a pesar de ser centro de múltiples políticas internacionales de protección que, a la luz de los resultados que están teniendo, no han tenido la efectividad esperada en su implementación real. Por tanto, es necesario tomar medidas urgentes dirigidas a revertir esta situación y que su implementación sea evaluada de forma objetiva, sistemática y recurrente. Este trabajo presenta una herramienta web llamada GreenEye Hub para el seguimiento de los humedales del Inventario de Humedales de Andalucía basada en imágenes de satélite del Sentinel-2, técnicas de teledetección y en tecnologías de procesamiento de datos masivos mediante Google Earth Engine. La herramienta, con un diseño orientado a la gestión de estos ecosistemas, presenta una consola de visualización que permite realizar el seguimiento de los principales indicadores de agua y vegetación y el análisis de tendencias de estos. Es, por tanto, un sistema de apoyo a la gestión y a la toma de decisiones. Este estudio proporciona información de cómo es factible en la actualidad desarrollar un sistema de seguimiento de humedales a escala regional a partir de datos gratuitos accesibles y cómo esta herramienta constituye un proceso de transferencia del conocimiento desde la ciencia a la gestión.},
keywords = {Climate Change, Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, Geotechnology, Groundwater, Pressures, Wetlands},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {proceedings}
}
Technical Reports
Sánchez-Espinosa, A.; Abdul-Malak, D.; San-Román, S.; Vera, A.
Marine mega fauna and litter in the Mediterranean: Overview of impacts in MedBioLitter Technical Report
2022.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Biodiversity, Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, Marine litter, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures, Protected areas
@techreport{Sánchez-Espinosa2022,
title = {Marine mega fauna and litter in the Mediterranean: Overview of impacts in MedBioLitter},
author = {A. Sánchez-Espinosa and D. Abdul-Malak and S. San-Román and A. Vera},
url = {https://www.etc.uma.es/wp-content/uploads/Marine_mega_fauna_litter_Mediterranean_March2022.pdf},
year = {2022},
date = {2022-04-01},
urldate = {2022-04-01},
abstract = {This report highlights the conclusions coming from the analysis of MedBiolitter spatial and scientific data on interactions between marine fauna and litter in the Mediterranean published in English as in v.8 updated in March 2022, integrated with marine litter data collected by ACCOBAMS in the frame of the Aerial Survey Initiative on cetaceans and marine litter. The analysis focuses on the impacts on marine megafauna (large mammals like cetaceans and seals, turtles, cartilaginous fishes like sharks and rays, and scombridae like tuna and swordfish). This publication follows the publication of the “Mediterranean biodiversity and marine litter: an interaction knowledge base” report in the frame of the Interreg Mediterranean Biodiversity Protection project published in 2019. },
keywords = {Biodiversity, Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, Marine litter, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures, Protected areas},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {techreport}
}
UNEP-MAP,; Plan-Bleu,; Abdul-Malak, D.; Marín, A. I.; Schröder, C.; Sánchez-Espinosa, A.
SoED 2020 : State of Environment and Development in Mediterranean Technical Report
2020.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures, Protected areas
@techreport{UNEP-MAP2020,
title = {SoED 2020 : State of Environment and Development in Mediterranean},
author = {UNEP-MAP and Plan-Bleu and D. Abdul-Malak and A. I. Marín and C. Schröder and A. Sánchez-Espinosa},
url = {https://planbleu.org/en/soed-2020-state-of-environment-and-development-in-mediterranean/},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-12-01},
abstract = {The SoED provides a comprehensive and up-to-date assessment of environment and development interactions in the Mediterranean region. The 2020 version consists of eight thematic chapters and is complemented by two summary papers: Summary for Decision Makers and Key Messages. Topics covered include: socio-economic drivers and trends; climate change; biodiversity and ecosystem services; economic activities and related pressures; coastal dynamics and related impacts; food and water security; health and environment; and governance.},
keywords = {Biodiversity, Climate Change, Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures, Protected areas},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {techreport}
}
Guitart, C.; Abdul-Malak, D.; Sánchez-Espinosa, A.; Valverde, C. Pérez; Bigagli, E.; San-Román, S.
Mediterranean biodiversity and marine litter: an interaction knowledge base Technical Report
2020.
Abstract | Links | BibTeX | Tags: Biodiversity, Conservation and management, Marine litter, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures
@techreport{Guitart2020,
title = {Mediterranean biodiversity and marine litter: an interaction knowledge base},
author = {C. Guitart and D. Abdul-Malak and A. Sánchez-Espinosa and C. Pérez Valverde and E. Bigagli and S. San-Román},
editor = {ETC-UMA},
url = {https://www.etc.uma.es/wp-content/uploads/PAN_report_Mediterranean-biodiversity-and-marine-litter_LowRes.pdf},
year = {2020},
date = {2020-01-10},
urldate = {2020-01-10},
abstract = {The Interreg-Med programme (2014-2020) has co-financed several initiatives that tackle the issue of marine litter. The Mediterranean Biodiversity Protection Community, co-financed by Interreg Med and featured by PANACeA, is one of these networks and aims at ensuring harmonized approaches to provide transferable evidence-based solutions on this growing challenge in the region. Part of the contribution of this Interreg Med community is to increase the evidence and the understanding of marine litter concerns and to reduce the pressures coming from marine litter as well as its impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems in the Mediterranean region.
The main areas of work of this community to date include the compilation of knowledge and available information on monitoring, measures and actions in marine protected areas (MPAs) and beyond, and to provide tools to support biodiversity protection and management to a wide range of stakeholders from local managers to regional policy makers in the Mediterranean region. An insight on projects tackling marine litter policy, management, pressures, impacts and best practices to combat litter in the marine and coastal environment is presented in Table 1. Five projects (out of 11 thematic projects within the Mediterranean Biodiversity Protection Community) have pursued marine litter pollution knowledge objectives. The knowledge generated by the Biodiversity Protection community has been synthesized here to offer coordinated knowledge and practice in the Mediterranean region and to contribute to both the Mediterranean and international marine litter reduction challenges.},
keywords = {Biodiversity, Conservation and management, Marine litter, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {techreport}
}
The main areas of work of this community to date include the compilation of knowledge and available information on monitoring, measures and actions in marine protected areas (MPAs) and beyond, and to provide tools to support biodiversity protection and management to a wide range of stakeholders from local managers to regional policy makers in the Mediterranean region. An insight on projects tackling marine litter policy, management, pressures, impacts and best practices to combat litter in the marine and coastal environment is presented in Table 1. Five projects (out of 11 thematic projects within the Mediterranean Biodiversity Protection Community) have pursued marine litter pollution knowledge objectives. The knowledge generated by the Biodiversity Protection community has been synthesized here to offer coordinated knowledge and practice in the Mediterranean region and to contribute to both the Mediterranean and international marine litter reduction challenges.
Gomei, M.; Abdulla, A.; Schröder, C.; Yadav, S.; Sánchez-Espinosa, A.; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, D.; Abdul-Malak, D.
Towards 2020: how Mediterranean countries are performing to protect their sea Technical Report
2019.
Links | BibTeX | Tags: Biodiversity, Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures, Protected areas
@techreport{Gomei2019,
title = {Towards 2020: how Mediterranean countries are performing to protect their sea},
author = {M. Gomei and A. Abdulla and C. Schröder and S. Yadav and A. Sánchez-Espinosa and D. Rodríguez-Rodríguez and D. Abdul-Malak},
url = {https://d2ouvy59p0dg6k.cloudfront.net/downloads/towards2020_report_nov2019.pdf},
year = {2019},
date = {2019-11-01},
keywords = {Biodiversity, Conservation and management, Environmental conservation, Marine protected areas, Mediterranean sea, Pressures, Protected areas},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {techreport}
}