EUROCLIMA+ supports Chile in the climate change law

In order for Chile to comply with the international commitments set forth in the Paris Agreement, it has designed a draft law on climate change that will facilitate the necessary actions to tackle the adaptation to climate change in the country. 

Having a draft framework law will allow a substantial improvement in climate change management capacity for both adaptation and mitigation in the country, developing climate actions and policies that allow it to meet the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) that Chile proposed under the Paris Agreement. 

The EUROCLIMA+ project, through the FIIAPP, has accompanied Chile in the public consultation process that was launched for the preparation of this draft law. 

The main novelty of the law’s process is that it has been a highly participatory process implemented in three stages. First, at the Climate Change Office, climate change training was delivered to the regional committees. Second, a dialogue process was carried out with citizens with the idea of collecting information on what people expect from a climate change law that did not exist at that time, rather it was a blank sheet. And finally, the draft bill was prepared which incorporated some of the observations received during the consultation process, which is currently waiting to be put through Congress. 

During the creation of the law, more than 3,700 comments were received, 16 regional workshops organized by EUROCLIMA+ were held, and there were more than 25 consultation processes with indigenous communities. Such participation made it possible to significantly improve the draft Law, including, for example, specific adaptation commitments, recognizing water as a priority area of work. The bill was signed by 15 ministries. 

The Minister of Environment of Chile affirmed that “The European Union and its EUROCLIMA+ programme have been strategic allies of our country enabling it to move forward with concrete actions”. In addition, as Carolina Schmidt said “We received your support in issuing the framework law on climate change and also in building the strategy that will empower the Chilean population in terms of climate action”.