The participation of our country in the COP28 ended up sealing a successful year in terms of sustainability, in which Chile led the region and stood out worldwide for its projects and development of public policies.
Chile, one of the countries most exposed to the consequences of climate change, has implemented a mitigation and adaptation strategy backed by more than two decades of state policies and strong collaboration between the public, private, academic and civil society sectors. These efforts have positioned the country as a world leader in key areas such as energy transition, green finance and sustainable tourism, receiving global recognition for its achievements. This year, Chilean leadership stood out especially at COP 28, where the Minister of the Environment, Maisa Rojas, played a crucial role in the agreements that signal the beginning of the end for fossil fuels.
The role played by Chile -a pioneer country in Latin America in mitigation and the use of renewable energies- in the climate change summit was highlighted by entities such as the European Union and global leaders. "Chile has the tremendous role of showing the way, because it is a small country that can serve as a pilot for many changes, demonstrating that an energy transition can be made in an orderly and safe way, but quickly, it is a tremendous example," said Minister Rojas.
The Minister was invited for the third time to co-facilitate the global negotiations where, together with Australia's Deputy Minister for Climate Change and Energy, Jenny McAllister, she mediated one of the key discussions of this version: the Global Adaptation Goal. The result was the approval of a framework to guide countries in their efforts to protect their people and ecosystems from climate change.
The challenge of being carbon neutral by 2040
Sustainability and care for the environment became one of the key issues for Chile in its international positioning in 2023, as shown by different international rankings and studies.
The latest version of the Climate Change Performance Index placed Chile in 11th place, the first in the American continent and qualifying it as one of the countries with "high performance" in terms of climate change.
The latest version of the Climate Change Performance Index placed Chile in 11th place (the first three positions are vacant), being the first in the American continent and qualifying it as one of the countries with "high performance" in terms of climate change. Thus, the country receives a very positive rating in the GHG Emissions category.
The study also highlights that "other countries are sending a clear signal that renewables are vital to their decarbonization strategies, such as Chile which improved its target from 60% in 2035 to 80% in 2030".
Along the same lines, a study by the consulting firm McKinsey & Company, published in mid-2023, concluded that Chile could be the only carbon neutral country in Latin America by 2040 with a positive result, that is, with benefits greater than investments.
The study called "How can Chile lead the transition to net zero?" indicates that our country, with adjustments such as an extra investment of between US$60 billion and US$70 billion in energy, transport and buildings to reduce cumulative emissions between 2018 and 2050 by more than 80%, through the decarbonization of the energy matrix.
Projects at the forefront
The portfolio of Chilean projects in line with the energy transition is growing every year, achievements that have been highlighted by the foreign press. This is the case of Antofagasta, which has been highlighted as a region with high potential for the development of green industries, specifically due to its high level of solar radiation. Cerro Dominador, Alba Project, or the green hydrogen mobile pilot plant, are mentioned as examples.
The Magallanes region also hosts important projects, such as the first plant in the world to produce synthetic fuels based on green hydrogen: the Haru Oni Plant. In its pilot phase, it is expected to have an estimated productivity of 350 tons per year of eMethanol and 130,000 liters per year of synthetic fuel.
"Chile has incredible conditions to produce hydrogen at a very competitive price and in the European Union we want to import it to decarbonize the European economy. If we want to achieve these goals we have to support the countries that have the potential and Chile is one of the most advanced countries in the region and in the world," said the head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union in Chile, Ewout Sandker.
All these efforts and commitments are based on a State policy that has focused on making Chile a country with high standards of sustainability and environmental protection, in the midst of a global scenario that is becoming increasingly complex and challenging. Examples are the Framework Law on Climate Change, which establishes the goal of making the country carbon neutral and climate resilient by 2050 at the latest, the Energy Transition Strategy, the National Lithium Strategy, Green Hydrogen, and Electromobility, among others. A green future, in which the advancement of technology meets the care of the environment, is Chile's goal and commitment.
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