Executive summary

During the last decade, Chile has made remarkable progress in strengthening its environmental institutions and policy framework, as recommended by the 2005 Environmental Performance Review. In 2010, Chile established the Ministry of Environment, the Council of Ministers for Sustainability, an inspectorate and an environmental assessment agency. This has helped raise the profile of environmental policy and clarify environmental management and sustainable development responsibilities within the government. However, the environmental benefits of institutional reforms are lagging behind rigorous implementation is needed to tackle environmental pressures as Chile’s income level continues to catch up with the OECD average.