Chile faces a severe and deepening environmental crisis, characterized by accelerating biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, widespread soil erosion, increasing pressure on freshwater and marine resources, and contamination of soil, water and air. These challenges are progressively undermining the sustainability of landscapes and seascapes. Climate change is compounding these pressures by intensifying droughts and increasing the frequency of extreme weather events, threatening the livelihoods and resilience of local communities across the country.

These impacts are felt most acutely by vulnerable groups, including women, Indigenous communities, young people and persons with disabilities, who often have limited influence over climate-related decision-making. Targeted and inclusive measures are therefore essential.

• Climate change: The escalating impacts of climate change are increasing the vulnerability of territories and communities, contributing to severe water crises, rising temperatures and accelerating biodiversity loss. In response, Chile has advanced its international climate commitments and strengthened its institutional frameworks.

• Water crisis: Chile faces a severe and deepening water crisis, driven by a prolonged megadrought, increasing pressure from agricultural and mining activities, and water contamination.

• Land degradation: Unsustainable agricultural practices, deforestation and increasingly severe wildfires are contributing to land degradation. These challenges are compounded by climate change, which intensifies drought conditions and disrupts precipitation patterns across the country.

• Air pollution: Air pollution remains a serious public health challenge, particularly in southern Chile, where energy poverty and the burning of biomass for heating contribute to poor air quality.

• Biodiversity loss: Despite significant progress in biodiversity conservation, Chile continues to face challenges in managing its natural resources sustainably. Intensifying production systems, particularly in forestry, agriculture, mining and aquaculture, raise environmental and social concerns, especially for communities whose livelihoods depend on healthy ecosystems.

• Waste management: Waste management relies heavily on landfilling, highlighting the urgent need for transformative measures to advance a circular economy.

The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program (GEF SGP) can support community-led initiatives that contribute to Chile's national and global environmental commitments.

• National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (NBSAP) under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): Support community-led conservation in priority biodiversity areas, the restoration of native forests and wetlands, and the sustainable management of coastal and marine ecosystems.

• Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC): Promote decentralized renewable energy in rural communities, strengthen organic waste management, support the adaptation of agrifood and water systems to climate impacts, and advance nature-based solutions for carbon sequestration and biodiversity conservation, including forest restoration and peatland protection.

• National Action Plan (NAP) under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD): Support sustainable land management, agroecology and sustainable agricultural practices, and the restoration of degraded lands, particularly in water-stressed regions.

• National Implementation Plan (NIP) under the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants: Promote non-chemical alternatives in agriculture, community-based monitoring of pollution from mining and industrial sites, and the sound management of chemicals and waste.

• Community management of threatened ecosystems and species: Support local communities and Indigenous peoples in the sustainable management of native forests, wetlands and coastal areas, and the conservation of threatened species, while promoting women's and young people's leadership.

• Sustainable agriculture and food security: Promote agroecology, water-efficient irrigation and sustainable farming practices among smallholder farmers, while strengthening local food systems and value chains.

• Access to low-impact energy and co-benefits: Promote renewable energy solutions, including solar power, small-scale hydropower and biomass, for rural communities and productive uses, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and firewood.

• Local-to-global coalitions for chemicals and waste management: Work with communities to reduce agrochemical use through integrated pest management and support circular economy initiatives that reduce waste.

• Sustainable urban solutions: Support urban agriculture, improved waste management and food loss reduction in cities, contributing to climate resilience and food security.