Generalitat chairman Ximo Puig announced this Wednesday that he is working on the presentation of the Valencian Community’s candidacy. Spanish Artificial Intelligence Supervision AgencyI. While the head of Consell did not specify which city would be proposed to host the headquarters, all eyes were turned to Alicante, where Generalitat’s Digital Zone technology center was promoted by this legislature as a star project.
Puig made this announcement at a forum organized by Europa Press, with representatives from autonomous Valencian companies such as Cox Energy, Grant Thornton, Ford, Ouigo, Vectalia, Caixa Popular, Global Omnium and Importaco. Three key issues are analyzed: sustainability and innovation, innovation and sustainable mobility, and sustainable growth and regional structure.
This Tuesday, with the approval of the Council of Ministers, the Government started the process of selecting the headquarters of Spain’s Artificial Intelligence Supervision Agency (Aesia) to be located outside Madrid. The step taken by the executive opens a one-month period to set the criteria for the selection process in which local entities and autonomous communities can be, and a six-month period for venue selection.
The new agency has five million euros in funding for this year, and one of its tasks is to oversee the use of this technology and minimize its risks while promoting the creation of a research and business ecosystem. Currently expected candidates include Granada and Santiago de Compostela.
One month to determine the criteria for the selection process that local organizations and autonomous communities can apply for, and another six months to determine the location From Aesia headquarters. These are the conditions set at the Council of Ministers on Tuesday. It was stated that the Ministry of Economy and Digital Transformation will give priority to candidates with a strong business and research ecosystem on this technology, as well as to train and prepare professionals specialized in fields such as artificial intelligence itself, ethics, social sciences. .and legal. The Minister stressed that the aim of the decentralization process of institutions, which is currently underway, is regional cohesion. In this sense, Puig has positioned himself as one of the main voices in Spain of the autonomies that most asserted the need to decentralize government institutions.
pressure for renewable energy
The Generalitat president has demonstrated his confidence that the Valencian Community will be self-sufficient in energy production and consumption in the medium term. 10,000 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy before 2026, “Four years ahead of 2030 autonomy target”. Puig has tied the goal of energy self-sufficiency to 452 renewable energy plants currently being operated by Generalitat and the State in the Community of Valencia. “When they are operational, our energy production will exceed the demand of families and businesses: 13% more‘ insisted that ‘ambition’ be self-sufficient in the medium term.
As he points out,The Community generates 70% of the energy consumed by Valencians (18,000 gigawatts versus 27,000) believes that 452 installations will meet the generation power represented by non-renewable energy. “This leap requires, of course, the administrative agility that we are accelerating, and that is from self-criticism, we still need to improve“It was stress.
In addition, the president of Valencia, “false discussions” over the need to keep nuclear power plants open when its closure is scheduled for 2030.
In general, regarding the forum’s motto “Towards the Future”, he argued that “fatalism is not an option” and that the only certainty is that “tomorrow will harm today’s world”. “If we want to be a good ancestor, we can no longer look the other way,” he said.
So he warned about the cost of energy addiction, that “pandemics are not things of the past or dystopian fiction” and that the consequences of the climate emergency are seen in the devastating fires of this summer, at the 2019 DANA in Vega Baja. Bejís and Vall d’Ebo and “day and night in this unbearable heat”.
In this scenario, he advocated the energy transition as the first axis for the “new Valencian Community of the near future”, emphasizing the “unknown detail” that exists now. twice as many civil servants –from 51 in 2015 to 110 after summer additions– dedicated to processing renewable energy files.
A “maximum priority” linked to the goals of “blackmail”, “solidarity without selfishness or absurd barriers” to make a productive leap, and energy domination for sustainability. This once again highlighted the “revolutionary” field of “green” hydrogen as a source of employment and an inexpensive solution for industries such as tile.
beyond the vehicle
Puig celebrated “historic milestones” in industry and mobility that the establishment of the Volkswagen gigafactory at Parc Sagunt II and the electrification of Ford Almussafes will mean in the coming years; The “tool of tomorrow” chain.
Of course, he noted that not only did both multinationals participate, because “the new mobility goes beyond the vehicle” and the Community is positioned with Stadler and Ilsa on the rail branch, with Balearia on the shipping company and on the air line with Air. nostrum According to him, “solid foundations” for positioning the region as a pole of sustainable mobility in southern Europe.
It also underlined the Community’s position as an innovative region in Europe in terms of innovation, advancing 29 places since 2015, making it the “largest increase in Spain”. “We are competitive,” he said, emphasizing that Valencia and Alicante are the third and fourth Spanish cities that attract the most investment in innovative entrepreneurship, with companies like HP and organizations like the UN.
He argued that the innovation should also benefit the “usual” Valencian industry, such as agri-food, footwear, textiles or ceramics.
request funds
On the other hand, Puig advocated upholding equal opportunity and work and family reconciliation, and tackling the “forgetting” of inner towns, which are at risk of both aging in loneliness and depopulation.
For this, he called on Europe to make the most of the Next Generation funds, to increase the efficiency of the economy, and once again demanded a reform of the regional financing system. “We deserve it and we will not stop demanding it,” he said.
He also dedicated his speech to the recently deceased Javier Marías, with the title of his novel “This is how things begin”, to know how to learn from “misfortunes”. He wished him success in his participation in the Davis Cup in Valencia.