In a two-year study of Chile’s environmental performance, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has called for a policy overhaul, a stronger fiscal commitment and tightened enforcement. Presenting the report in Santiago last month, Kiyotaka Akasaka, the OECD’s deputy secretary general, commended Chile for making progress in tackling mining-sector air emissions and improving air quality in metropolitan Santiago. Akasaka also praised Chile’s fee-based approach to water rights and its fishing-industry quotas aimed at preserving Pacific marine resources. But he noted that Chile’s rapid, export-oriented growth has put “enormous pressure” on natural resources. The 200-page report, produced with assistance from the UN Economic Commission for Latin America, cited various deficiencies that it indicated must be addressed to ensure... [Log in to read more]