Dialogue "The challenges and opportunities to improve water management in Chile"

The dialogue "The challenges and opportunities to improve water management in Chile" was held on January 23, the event organized by the Water and Energy Unit of the Natural Resources Division of ECLAC and featured more of 25 participants. The objective of the discussion was to review the social, economic, and environmental challenges of water management in Chile, considering a feasible change on the Constitution. Each of these dimensions was addressed in panel discussions where experts discussed about opportunities and solutions to these challenges, possible legislative, regulatory, and / or public policy solutions. All this, in the framework of the transformation moment Chile is currently experiencing.

The event started with the intervention of Mrs. Jeanette Sánchez, Director of the Natural Resources Division of ECLAC, who welcomed the participants and panelists, and also emphasized the importance of promoting the sustainable use of water and how this Dialogue allows to develop knowledge of the experiences and learned lessons from the water management system in Chile, which serves as learning for other countries in the region. Then, Mrs. Silvia Saravia, Economic Affairs Officer of the Natural Resources Division, presented the background of the Chilean context, including the social and environmental demands related to water management, conflicts and pressures the water sector is facing, all in a framework of climate change and mega drought.

The first panel "The human right to water in Chile and the drinking water and sanitation system" addressed the social dimension and included the participation of expert panelists Magaly Espinosa, Guillermo Saavedra and Andrei Jouravlev, moderated by Elisa Blanco, consultant for ECLAC. The second panel "Conflicts over productive uses and incentives to promote efficiency" addressed the economic dimension, with the participation of expert panelists Humberto Peña, Ricardo Ariztía, Axel Dourojeanni and Guillermo Donoso, in this case the moderation was done by Marina Gil, of Natural Resources Division. The third panel “Climate change and environmental sustainability in the use of water” addressed the environmental dimension, the expert panelists who participated were Valentina Durán, Sara Larraín and Reinaldo Ruiz; Carlos de Miguel, Head of the Sustainable Development Policy Unit of the Division of Sustainable Development and Human Settlements, moderated this panel.