Welcome to the Earth.Org Global Sustainability Index, where Earth.Org examines the policies and actions regarding the environment of every nation on earth. Combining the most respected global indexes on pollution, climate change, policy, energy, oceans, biodiversity we have produced an overall Global Index, which will be updated annually. This is the Global Sustainability Index scorecard for Chile.

In October 2019, Chile released its updated NDC with more ambitious targets for 2030 and it is currently formulating a new Climate Change Framework Law whose main objectives are a transition to achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. This gives the impression that the country views the climate crisis as one that is imperative to overcome. 

However, it is sending out mixed signals. After announcing in early 2018 the aim to phase-out unabated coal-fired electricity generation by 2040 (20% of its coal electricity capacity), around the same time, a new 375 MW coal-fired plant (equivalent to about 1.8 TWh per year) started operations and two of its eight oldest ones (equivalent to 0.6 TWh per year) were closed. This means the country opened a new coal-fired plant that will produce three times more electricity than the two that were closed combined.

It is important that Chile acts on its commitments instead of just espousing support to mitigate the climate crisis.

global sustainability index scorecard chile

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References:
Earth.Org Global Sustainability Index Ranking image description: Chile Rankings – Policy: 88, Pollution: 84, Climate Change: 11, Oceans: 97, Biodiversity: 97, Energy: 19, Earth.Org Global Sustainability Index Ranking 27.