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The Climate Question: Could Chile be a climate leader?

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02/05/2022 GMT

Could Chile be a climate leader?

BBC World Service - The Climate Question, Could Chile be a climate leader?

Chile’s new president has appointed a climate scientist to help shift to a green economy

Chile’s new president has appointed a climate scientist to help shift to a greener economy – a challenge given the country’s dependency on mining, forestry and agriculture.

The renowned climate scientist and IPCC author Maisa Rojas has been making headlines after being appointed as Chile’s new Minister for the Environment. She has pledged to deliver a green, sustainable and resilient future – and a ‘just transition’ to renewables from an economy that has to date been reliant on mining, forestry and agriculture. 
The legacy of General Augusto Pinochet has cast a long shadow over Chile, so one of the first hurdles is a vote on a new constitution in July which would ease the passage of new climate legislation. The new government of leftist leader Gabriel Boric also faces a divided Congress, and will need to galvanise support for a radical new agenda.
Chile has vast potential for solar energy and hydropower, providing the infrastructure is in place to transmit it to different parts of the country. Can the government play a leading role globally in shifting to great dependency on renewables – and closing down coal-fired power stations in the coming decade? 

Presenters Kate Lamble and Mora Morrison are joined by: 
Maisa Rojas, Minister for Environment for the Chilean government and climatologist
Claudia Heiss, head of political science at the Institute of Public Affairs at Universidad de Chile.  
Dr Álvaro López-Peña, consultant on energy transition, CEO ALP Sustainable Energy

Producer: Serena Tarling and Darin Graham
Researchers: Natasha Fernandes and Frances Read
Reporter: John Bartlett
Series Producer: Alex Lewis
Sound engineer: Tom Brignell
Editor: Nicola Addyman

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Could Chile be a climate leader?

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