The Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) has received and will appeal the sentence, which is not firm, related to the cancelling of the concession for the land which should house the Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT) in La Palma. In 2019 the Cabildo of La Palma, following approval by a full session of the Town Council of Puntagorda, and a detailed environmental study, conceded to the IAC the land on which the TMT could be built. This concession was made conditional on the decision within a few years, which have not yet expired, that the International TMT Observatory would decide to build it on this land. The judge has considered that, as this decision has not been taken by the TMT, the concession should be cancelled.

The IAC consideres that, according to the International Treaty "Agreement for Cooperation in Astrophysics" in 1979, ratified by the Spanish Parliament, is it necessary to have available the concession of the land to convince the international organism, the TMT, to adopt a decision favourable to the installation on La Palma, of what would be the biggest single investment in science in the history of our country. The IAC, among its statutary duties and powers, must ensure, on behalf of the State, and the Autonomous Community of the Canaries, the scientific returns of the astronomical installations of this community via agreements for collaboration with the institutions responsible for the telescopes which they may install in its observatories.