The province of Azuay is currently facing a process of desertification and UPS researcher Fredi Portilla Farfán, PhD. explained the results of his research on this phenomenon during the International Conference on Regional Climate ICRC-CORDEX 2016 which was held in Sweden. Professor Portilla presented his paper titled "Multi-temporal analysis of Desertification sensitivity in the Province of Azuay since 1982" with results from the research on desertification in the province of Azuay, this research was part of the study on climate change and its consequences on biodiversity.

This event was organized by the Bolin Centre for Climate Research–Stockholm University and the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute, SMHI, and endorsed by the World Climate  Research Programme and the European Climate Research Alliance. It was sponsored by EUMETSAT, ESA and FORMAS.

The aim of this international conference was to collect information about the vulnerability, impacts and adaptation of meteorological phenomena and its potential influence on regional and world climate.

372 researchers from 127 countries took part in this event; it was a great opportunity to learn more and exchange information about science, and a great opportunity for professor Portilla to strengthen his research projects on climate change, soil management, biodiversity, water and anthropogenic impact. The field of research is in the province of Azuay in the Andean forests, such as the Aguarongo protected forest, which is located between Cuenca, Gualaceo and San Bartolomé. 

The following students who major in environmental engineering also took part in the research study: Fernando Pacheco, Alexandra Noguera, Pablo Parra, Paola Criollo, Vanessa Contreras, Elizabeth Lomas and Daniel Zumba.