Did you know that in Chile there is a law whose purpose is to reduce emissions of contaminating gases?

National Environmental Day is celebrated every October 2nd in Chile. According to the Ministry of the Environment (MMA), “the celebration of this day seeks to promote education and environmental awareness, as well as fostering citizen participation in environmental protection”.

Chile is a megadiverse country, with a rich variety of ecosystems that range from the Atacama Desert to Patagonia. However, it also faces significant environmental challenges, such as air and water contamination, loss of biodiversity and climate change.

According to data from the National Library, the winter greenhouse gas level in Chile is 105,552 kilotonnes of CO2 equivalent (ktCO2 eq) in 2020, which represents an increase of 116% since 1990. However, one has also been recorded decrease of 4% compared to 2018. The share of greenhouse gas emissions from Chile in total global emissions is approximately 0.25%. The country with the highest emission of contaminating gases is China, with 27% (9.9 billion tons of CO2 emissions in 2020).

In this context, the Government enacted in 2022 the Climatic Change Law, which establishes a framework for the reduction of emissions, such as setting targets for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions for 2030 and 2050, and the creation of a system monitoring and reporting of emissions. Furthermore, the regulations promote the energy transition with renewable sources and establish a fund to finance adaptation projects to climate change.

On this National Environmental Day, in Hidronor we made a call for action so that all sectors of Chilean society work together to protect the environment and promote sustainable development.