Chile Launches USD 5.3 Million Program To Accelerate Climate Action And Biodiversity Protection

The Government of Chile has launched the Net-Zero Nature-Positive Accelerator Programme, a four-year, USD 5.3 million initiative aimed at accelerating climate action and reversing nature loss. The Programme responds to the urgent global call underscored by a report published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to drastically cut greenhouse gas emissions within this decade, to avoid the worst impacts of climate change on people and the planet. Honorable Ministers Diego Pardow Lorenzo, of Energy, Hon. Maisa Rojas, of the Environment, and Hon. Mario Marcel Cullell, of Finance graced the project’s opening ceremony with over 300 participants in attendance.

This initiative complements Chile’s Climate Governance Framework, grounded in the Climate Change Framework Law enacted in 2022. The law sets an ambitious target of net-zero emissions by 2050 and establishes a comprehensive system for climate action. This includes Chile’s Long-Term Climate Strategy, sectoral adaptation and mitigation plans, and a financial strategy aligned with international commitments such as the Paris Agreement.

Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the program aims to integrate action across the energy sector, with a focus on decarbonizing energy demand, land use, and conservation to reduce emissions and limit global warming. Importantly, the project also focuses on promoting policy coherence, ensuring coordinated action by multiple Chilean ministries. With over three decades of experience in climate finance, the GEF brings critical expertise to this effort.

“Chile continues to lead the way in integrated environmental action,” GEF CEO and Chairperson Carlos Manuel Rodríguez said. “This project shows how countries can align energy decarbonization with nature-positive goals by combining strong institutions, smart policies, and bold partnerships. With Chile’s vision and drive, we’re confident this initiative will spark the systemic change needed for a net-zero, nature-positive future.”

At its core, the project recognizes the deep connection between climate change and biodiversity loss. Terrestrial ecosystems currently absorb about 30% of human-caused emissions, but this capacity is projected to decline significantly by 2040 due to rising temperatures and environmental degradation. For this reason, preserving and restoring nature—forests, soils, wetlands, and coastlines—is not just a conservation goal, but a climate imperative.

“This project reflects Chile's commitment to advancing sustainability in an innovative way and in harmony with its natural resources”, said Juan Bello, Regional Director for UNEP’s Latin America and the Caribbean Office. “UNEP will contribute through technical capacity to ensure the success of the programme as we have done in the past, through initiatives supporting the protection and conservation of wetlands and mountains as well as others focusing on sustainable mobility, construction, and decarbonization.”

To meet global climate goals by 2030, transformative changes are required across sectors: renewable energy deployment must increase sixfold, coal must be phased out five times faster, electric vehicle adoption must rise twelvefold, and deforestation must stop entirely. Restoring soils and shifting consumption patterns are equally essential for sustainable food systems, while the built environment must accelerate its decarbonization efforts by a factor of five.