The University of Chile, through the Center for Public Policy Analysis (CAPP) of the Faculty of Government, presented the Country Report on the State of the Environment 2022–2025. This document, consolidated as the main independent academic effort on the subject, offers a rigorous diagnosis of the country’s ecological situation and calls for a national pact for sustainability to address the climate crisis.
The ceremony, held on March 9 in the VM20 Auditorium, marked the 25 years of trajectory of this initiative and was attended by university authorities, public representatives, and environmental specialists.
Prominent Voices
Rector Rosa Devés reaffirmed the university’s commitment to knowledge oriented towards the public interest:
- Valued the report as an independent and comparative assessment of the state of the environment.
- Highlighted three differentiating attributes: the integrated analysis of environmental macro-pressures, the territorial and environmental justice approach, and the strategic proposals for institutional transformation.
The director of CAPP, Sergio Galilea, emphasized the comprehensive vision of the study and recalled the founders of the initiative, Nicolo Gligo and Osvaldo Sunkel. He warned that the environmental issue has become more critical in the last 25 years and expressed his hope that the report will promote national consensus.
Meanwhile, Carlos Rungruangsakorn, representative of the Ministry of the Environment, highlighted the call for a national sustainable development pact, noting that it is a structural and urgent challenge.
Main Contributions of the Country Report 2025
The document is organized under the Pressure-State-Response approach and presents four key sections:
- Diagnosis of macro-pressures: identifies structural trends such as the extractive model of natural resources and the global climate crisis.
- Evaluation of nature components: analyzes air, continental waters, biodiversity, native forests, soils, marine ecosystems, mining, energy, and human settlements.
- Socio-natural disasters: studies the relationship between climate change and disasters, proposing territorial resilience and risk reduction.
- Public policy proposals: outlines a strategic roadmap with changes in environmental institutions, territorial planning with a climate focus, and effective decentralization of resources for a just ecological transition.
A National Pact for Sustainability
The report not only diagnoses but also calls for action. The proposal for a national pact for sustainability seeks to:
- Integrate efforts from the State, academia, the private sector, and citizens.
- Democratize environmental information so that it is understandable and useful in decision-making.
- Guide public policies towards a development model that balances economic growth with environmental justice and climate resilience.
The Country Report 2025 reaffirms the role of the University of Chile as a key player in the discussion of major national challenges. Its call for a national pact for sustainability is an invitation to build consensus and transform institutions to face the climate crisis with a vision for the future.
