Eva Rodríguez Nieto receives EMS Journalistic Award 2026

The recipient of the 2026 EMS Journalistic Award is Eva Rodríguez Nieto, recognized for her report “Engineering and nature transform the fight against flooding”, published by the Scientific Information and News Service (SINC) on 29 October 2025 (English translation).

In this article, Eva Rodríguez Nieto examines the global evolution of flood risk management one year after the catastrophic DANA storm that struck Valencia, Spain, on 29 October 2024. The piece highlights a modern, holistic paradigm shift in civil engineering and urban planning: moving away from a strict reliance on traditional hydraulic infrastructures toward long-term prevention, land-use management, and nature-based solutions like green infrastructure and floodable parks.

Eva Rodríguez has written a high-quality piece of environmental journalism. It successfully translates complex spatial engineering concepts, satellite modelling data, and administrative policy frameworks into an accessible, compelling, and timely read for the public.

The award will be presented during the Awards Session at the EMS Annual Meeting in Utrecht on Monday, 7 September 2026, and Eva will talk about her work and experience in the EMS2026 Media and Communication Session on the following day.

Through interviews with technical experts, the text sheds light on the severe “cascading effects” of modern flash floods—such as ecosystem damage, regional supply chain disruptions, and the overwhelming burden placed on waste management networks (e.g., managing 1.5 million tonnes of heterogeneous debris and over 141,000 damaged vehicles in Valencia). By benchmarking the Spanish disaster against Germany’s integrated response during its 2021 floods, the article advocates for the formal inclusion of waste management specialists into emergency response teams. Finally, it addresses the socioeconomic gaps in global flood exposure and emphasizes the vital role of civic technology, community apps, and satellite data mapping in building climate-resilient cities.

The strength of her article lies in its holistic and multidisciplinary scope. Instead of focusing purely on the meteorology or the immediate human tragedy of the DANA storm, she successfully frames the event within a larger socio-technical narrative. By connecting engineering, urban policy, environmental toxicology, waste logistics, and sociology, she provides a highly comprehensive overview.

Her work is also grounded in robust expert research. The narrative is built upon recent, peer-reviewed scientific studies published in recognized journals like Water and Discover Sustainability. Quoting leading academic figures—such as Salvador García-Ayllón Veintimilla and Miguel Ángel Artacho Ramírez—lends immense credibility and technical accuracy to the piece.

Furthermore, comparing the challenges faced by Valencia against Germany’s response to its 2021 floods offers concrete, actionable policy insights. This analysis elevates the paper from standard reporting to a constructive critique of disaster management structures.

By integrating satellite imagery (Copernicus Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2) and global distribution maps, Rodríguez Nieto provides visual proof of these scaling impacts, transforming abstract numbers into undeniable spatial realities. The sections detailing the exact metric volumes of plastic, reeds, and sediment removed from the Albufera Natural Park are data-heavy and impactful. The article also notes that researchers conducted field visits and interviews with local residents affected by the storm. Ultimately, it serves as an urgent reminder of why infrastructure must adapt proactively to the destructive realities of climate change, making it an excellent candidate for recognition in science and environmental reporting.

About Eva Rodríguez Nieto

Eva Rodríguez Nieto holds a degree in Journalism and Audiovisual Communication and has more than 18 years of experience in science and environmental communication. She is currently the head of the Environment and Society section at the SINC News Agency, where she produces content on science, climate, biodiversity, and sustainability. She is a regular contributor to Radio Nacional de España (RNE) and has worked as a special correspondent at international summits and conferences on science and climate change. Her reports and interviews have been published in numerous national and international media outlets.

Before specializing in science communication, she worked in audiovisual production for several television broadcasters—an experience that has contributed to her narrative and visual approach to journalism. She is actively involved in international science journalism initiatives, such as the FRONTIERS residency programme of the European Research Council (ERC).

Throughout her career, she has received several accolades, including the CSIC–BBVA Foundation Scientific Communication Award and the Award from the Spanish Institute of Engineering. She has also served on the jury for various science communication prizes, such as the BBVA Foundation Biodiversity Awards. Additionally, she has participated as a moderator, speaker, and lecturer in numerous conferences, university master’s programmes, workshops, and events dedicated to science communication.