Chile must respond to the environmental crisis with universal access to clean water and air, says expert

A series of longstanding interconnected environmental crises violates human rights in Chiledeclared this Friday the UN special rapporteur * on fundamental guarantees and the environment.

David Boyd visited Chile for ten days and at the end explained in a press conference that these violations include the fundamental right to live in a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

“These crises, which have been going on for many years, include sacrifice zones deeply troubling where marginalized and vulnerable communities suffer from exposure to toxic substances and environmental degradation, water scarcity and where many of their residents lack access to safe and sufficient drinking water and face deadly air pollutionBoyd warned.

Highlighting the impact of the global climate crisis on the South American nation – which has caused droughts, desertification, devastating forest fires, deadly heat waves, rising sea levels, coastal erosion and an increasing intensity of extreme events -, the expert urged Chile to respond with urgent measures to guarantee universal access to clean water and air, as well as non-toxic environments.

No drinking water at home and school

The rapporteur considered it unacceptable that children and young people in some communities are growing up without drinking water in their homes and schools, and that they are exposed to toxic chemicals that threaten your health.

In this regard, he called on the Chilean government to develop stronger environmental laws and regulations, to allocate more resources to environmental protection and to monitor rigorous compliance.

On the other hand, he recognized the Chile’s leadership in the transition to renewable energy and cited electricity produced with solar energy. He also hailed the closure of eight coal-fired power plants and the impending closure of the state-owned smelter in Ventanas as one of the necessary steps to alleviate extreme pollution in slaughter zones and to combat climate change.

“I was deeply moved by the stories of pain, suffering and fear shared by the victims of environmental injustices in Chile”, pointed out the expert.

Indigenous villages

Regarding the measures that the country takes in the future on decarbonization and the protection of biodiversity, he stressed that they must have an approach based on the human rights of vulnerable groups and individualsincluding indigenous peoples, who must give their free and informed consent to all projects in their territories.

Boyd asserted that the people who defend “the amazing natural heritage of Chile” are heroes of the planet and humanity and called on the government to respond to their concerns and recommendations quickly and positively.

The rapporteur’s agenda in Chile included, in addition to Santiago, the capital, tours of the north, center and south of the country, visiting Quintero-Puchuncaví, Calama, the Salar de Atacama and Puerto Montt. In all these places he met with local government officials, judges, prosecutors, the National Institute of Human Rights, members of United Nations agencies, business representatives and academics.

Boyd will present a full report on Chile to the UN Human Rights Council in March 2024.

* The special rapporteurs are part of what is known as Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN human rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent investigative and monitoring mechanisms that address specific country situations or thematic issues around the world. Special Procedures experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent of any government or organization and provide their services in an individual capacity.