Chile: Santiago takes measures against climate change
Heat, drought, erosion and landslides: the effects of climate change on the Cerro Renca on the outskirts of Santiago are unmistakable. A tree planting project aims to lower temperatures, secure the ground and raise awareness of environmental issues.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 Victoria Perry and her team are planting trees in the northwest of Chile's capital, Santiago.
00:07 Here on the Cerro Renca hill, over 70,000 saplings have been planted in the past five years.
00:18 "We need to leave some room around the trunk. That's important.
00:24 The trench has to be very even so that water can collect there when it rains.
00:31 So each new tree with a trench will collect rainwater. That will prevent erosion.
00:39 All the new trees serve this purpose. They help capture runoff."
00:49 For now, the hill looks green and healthy. But heat and drought, exacerbated by climate change,
00:56 mean the area dries out almost completely in summer.
01:00 When it rains, it can get dangerous for the people who live at the foot of the hill.
01:05 Rainfall churns up the earth and can trigger landslides.
01:09 The trees are being planted to secure the ground and prevent this from happening.
01:14 They also store moisture in the soil and help cool the area.
01:18 The aim is to create a green lung, a kind of natural air conditioning system.
01:23 It could actually save lives. Renca is the hottest district in Santiago.
01:28 For many people here, it's taking a harsh toll.
01:31 "It's just too hot."
01:33 "In summer, you really feel it. This year is going to be even worse.
01:38 The elderly can't afford air conditioning. It's tough on poor people.
01:43 All they can use to keep cool is water. They have to stay out of the sun.
01:48 I get worried because I can't breathe.
01:51 I've told my wife I don't think I can take the heat in summer anymore."
01:55 Temperatures of around 40 degrees are predicted for Renca this summer.
02:00 This kind of heat is unprecedented, says Victoria Perri.
02:05 And in December, there's been a rise in heat-related fatalities as a result.
02:09 The reforestation project is intended to help alleviate the situation.
02:14 "Green spaces can help lower minimum temperatures in winter
02:21 and the maximum temperatures in summer.
02:24 That is why what's happening here in Renca, the greening of this area here,
02:30 will have a direct impact on the immediate surroundings.
02:34 The more of it is green, the greater the effect,
02:39 the more it will help lower temperatures further away too."
02:43 From heat and drought to waste and air pollution,
02:49 Santiago is facing many environmental challenges.
02:53 It's also struggling with social inequality.
02:56 The gap between rich and poor is one of the reasons for the protests
03:01 and violence that the city has witnessed in recent years.
03:05 Demonstrators voiced their anger at the privatization of pensions
03:11 and called for reform in the education and health sector.
03:15 Poor people are especially affected by the impact of the environmental crisis.
03:23 It's a situation that could escalate dramatically, says Anahi Okiza.
03:30 "Without doubt, Santiago is an absolutely divided city.
03:35 Climate change is exacerbating inequality.
03:38 This is one of the triggers for the social conflict
03:41 and the injustice that so many people are experiencing."
03:44 The environmental crisis is increasingly becoming a social and a political crisis.
03:52 In affluent neighborhoods in Santiago, there's no garbage on the streets.
03:57 Public services work well, there are plenty of green spaces and parks
04:02 and the air is cooler and fresher.
04:04 This is because they benefit from more public spending.
04:07 A lot of tax paid by companies and businesses is funneled into these districts.
04:12 Up to nine times more per capita is spent here
04:15 than in socially disadvantaged districts.
04:18 "We're doing a lot.
04:21 Whether it's income from commercial patents or tolls,
04:24 around two-thirds goes into a municipal fund.
04:27 Only one-third stays in Vitacura.
04:30 We make an important contribution to other neighborhoods."
04:33 Like many neighborhoods, Renca is chronically underfunded.
04:39 A project like the tree-planting initiative could only be funded
04:43 with help from international donors, who are offsetting CO2 emissions.
04:50 But even more trees aren't enough to mitigate the effects of climate change,
04:56 especially for people who are socially disadvantaged,
05:00 explains urban studies expert Ricardo Trafalo.
05:04 "If Renca, with all the problems it has,
05:10 70% social housing, high expenses, can realize a project like this,
05:16 then others can do it too.
05:18 But we must not forget that it calls for a policy of redistribution,
05:26 and we must show solidarity."
05:29 But the people of Renca will see a long-term benefit from the Greenland.
05:36 It helps lower temperatures and serves as a local recreation area
05:40 that also promotes biodiversity.
05:42 And the project is an opportunity to raise awareness about nature and climate change.
05:48 "This is an opportunity to adapt to climate change and make a difference.
05:53 As you can see, this is a very built-up area, and there are lots of highways.
05:58 But this is certainly a place in Santiago where change can happen."
06:03 Over the next few years, 50,000 more trees will be planted in Renca.
06:12 For Victoria and her colleagues, the project is also a contribution
06:17 to greater social and environmental justice here in Santiago.