Q&A: Chile’s Ambitious Environmental Fund

AQ: Which FNC conservation projects would you highlight?

ER: We are working in the Juan Fernández archipelago with funding from Teck, a mining company, and we are evaluating what we will finance on the ground. Because of last summer’s terrifying wildfires, the government and the private sector asked us to develop a fund for fire restoration and management. We are committed to restoring the National Botanical Garden in Viña del Mar, which was almost totally burned down.

AQ: How far is Chile from reaching adequate funding for conservation?

ER: The financing gap in marine protected areas is 96%. On land, we are investing $1 to $1.50 per hectare, and we know we need at least $15 or more. Chile has 23% of its land and 43% of its maritime zone protected, but we need to move forward now to provide effective conservation, and we need money to do that.

AQ: How does FNC help to close this gap?

ER: Our role is to move resources from philanthropy, corporate funding, and international donations from the public and private sectors to accomplish Chile’s national environmental goals. Chile is one of the last countries on our continent that decided to have a national conservation trust fund, and we are looking at the scope of long-term intervention. We have never had that kind of institution before.

AQ: What challenges does Chile face in protecting its biodiversity?

ER: Chile plays a planetary role, and it’s the nursery of life in the Pacific Ocean. What we do here affects all countries with a Pacific coast. The role the ocean plays in the Chilean economy is very important. I think the environment is the only agenda where the country can be united under a common objective, and we have an opportunity to do it better.

THIS INTERVIEW HAS BEEN EDITED FOR CLARITY AND LENGTH