June 07, 2022

Chile pioneers climate action on World Environment Day

topic:	Climate action
located:	Chile
editor:	Ellen Nemitz

Worldwide, this 5 June, 2022 celebrated the 50th anniversary since the United Nations inaugurated the date as the World Environment Day during the Conference on the Human Environment, held in Stockholm, Sweden in 1972. In Latin America, there have been some local events and celebrations, online and in-person debates, demonstrations and even symbolic actions such as tree plantings. Although every action, no matter how small, counts, Chile emerged as a leader in the region by announcing the enactment of the "Climate Change Law."

Claimed to be a "tool to advance in a new model of development, which takes care of nature and promotes people's well-being," the bill was first developed in 2020 and was finally approved by the National Congress in 2022. It sets the year of 2050 for the carbon neutrality goal - with intermittent targets leading up to it - and establishes ways of operationalisation, monitoring, reporting and verification systems within the national administration apparatus, while taking into consideration regional singularities and knowledge. Resilience is also an important part of the ruling, adding measures to deal with the already irreversible consequences of climate change, such as the water resources crisis. 

According to the Climate Change Law Observatory for Chile, other Latin American countries have laws to deal with the climate crisis driven by human actions, including Argentina, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago. This is a sign that a law itself does not create a solution; it requires a long-term commitment from all sectors of the country’s administration to make progress a priority. 

The Chilean minister of environment, Maisa Rojas, seems to be aware of that: aligned with the law’s phrasing, which advocates citizen participation, she declared that the new law "needs everyone for its implementation," mentioning the support flagged by parliamentarians, representatives of civil society, academia and the private sector. "We continue for a more resilient Chile," said the minister. 

The recently-elected president Gabriel Boric, whose campaign was marked by a strong commitment to the environment, also used Twitter to spread the news and highlight Chile’s pioneering of climate action, making the country an "example to the world in matters of caring for the environment," in his words. He, too, admitted that a law is just the first step: "There is much to do, but we will continue!"

Initiatives such as Chile's are vital in a world already facing the consequences of a reckless way of life that includes rising carbon emissions from industries and transport, deforestation and forest fires and problematic discarding of plastics and other polluting materials in landfills, rivers and oceans. Although consciousness and renewed laws make up a fundamental part of change, and dates such as the World Environment Day have the role of bringing attention to them, words or empty laws alone will not save us. Until now, global leaders have been ambiguous in presenting real actions to address the problem, beyond formal agreements and advertised good intentions. May Chile be an exception to this rule.

Photo by John Modaff

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