From investing in clean energy generation and more sustainable public transportation to reducing plastic waste, Chile is leading the region in initiatives that seek to protect the environment.
Escazú Agreement: In May 2022, the Chilean Senate approved the country's accession to the Escazú Agreement, the first environmental treaty in Latin America and the Caribbean, which seeks to change environmental institutions and adapt them to the climate, water, social, economic and cultural situation of the territories.
One of its main focuses is to promote the rights of access to environmental information, participation in environmental matters and justice in environmental matters, which will allow us to guarantee the human right to a healthy environment.
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Turquoise Foreign Policy: The Turquoise Foreign Policy contemplates various objectives and priorities that position Chile as a relevant actor in the mitigation of climate change, the protection of the ocean and ecosystems, with special emphasis on moving towards a more sustainable development model. This public policy also includes the creation of the Climate Change Observatory, an entity that is currently compiling information on the climate crisis and making it available to the international community.
Carbon neutral by 2050: Chile is committed to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, i.e. that greenhouse gas emissions -responsible for climate change- are equal to or less than the absorption of such gases by nature. One of the main pillars to achieve this goal is to move towards a clean energy matrix and leave fossil fuels in the past, so Chile has proposed to progressively close coal-fired power plants and increase the construction of non-conventional renewable energy plants.
Chile's privileged geography allows the country to count today with Cerro Dominador, the first solar thermal plant in Latin America, and soon with Horizonte -currently under construction-, which will become the largest wind power plant in the region. Similarly, the first Green Hydrogen plant in our country, Haru Oni, produced the first liters of the synthetic fuel in December 2022, three examples of how our country advances in caring for the environment and improving the quality of life of people.
Green Hydrogen Development: In May 2024, the government unveiled the Green Hydrogen Action Plan 2023-2030, with 81 actions to deploy an industry that reconciles economic and community development, as well as respect for the environment.
Chile's geography offers advantages for the development of renewable energies, allowing Magallanes and Antofagasta - with their wind power capacity and solar radiation - to emerge as strategic regions for the development of this fuel and lead the country to become one of the most competitive producers in the world, with projected investments of US $475 billion over the next ten years.
Chile diplomatic player in climate negotiations: Chile is leveraging its progressive renewable energy credentials to establish itself as a major diplomatic player in international climate negotiations. Chile co-hosted the COP25 UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid in December 2019, hosted the Clean Energy Ministerial Conference in December 2022, and launched the "Americas for the Protection of the Oceans" coalition at the IX Summit of the Americas in June 2022.
Electromobility: Chile is betting on sustainable public transport. As of December 2023, Santiago had a fleet of 2,200 electric buses, making it the city with the largest number of this type of vehicle in Latin America and one of the largest in the world, second only to Chinese cities.
In his recent Public Account, President Boric highlighted that electromobility is also present in cities such as Antofagasta and Rancagua, and that by 2025, Copiapó will become the first city in South America with 100% of its fleet made up of electric buses.
Protection of the oceans: Chile currently has 10 parks and 5 marine reserves, which translates into nearly 1,500,000 km2 officially protected. This figure represents more than 40% of the national Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), a fact that has earned our country the recognition of the international community.
In addition, Chile maintains a series of international alliances focused on the protection of the oceans, including the International Alliance against Ocean Acidification, the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and recently the ratification of the Agreement on Marine Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ), a treaty that aims to convert 30% of the world's oceans into protected areas by 2030.
Framework Law on Climate Change: This law institutionalizes the fight against climate change as a state policy, which implies that the ecological approach is integrated into the decisions of all ministries. The law establishes as a national goal for the country to be carbon neutral by 2050 at the latest, which will be reviewed every five years to determine whether this goal is being advanced. It also establishes as a goal that the country should be climate resilient, that is, that it should be able to adapt to the effects of climate change in the territories. In this way, the goal is to aim for a development that takes care of nature.
Chileans committed to the environmental crisis: Chile's energy transition has been widely supported by parties across the political spectrum and endorsed by the public. According to the Chilean Pride Survey, 67% express "high pride" in actions to protect marine and coastal areas, and 59% highlight species conservation and diversity as a source of pride.
Commitment in the eyes of the world: Chile has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to environmental protection, as evidenced by its outstanding evaluations in various international rankings. In The Climate Change Performance Index 2024 report, the country ranks first in Latin America, with the 11th position worldwide. Likewise, in MIT's prestigious The Green Future Index 2023, Chile ranked third in Latin America. These achievements are evidence of the significant efforts Chile is making to address climate change and promote a greener and more sustainable future.
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