GCHA Submission: Consultation on the Draft NDC of Chile

The GCHA submission argues that Chile's climate action should be framed through a public health lens to maximize health co-benefits, increase public support, and reduce the disease burden on the healthcare sector. The document recommends aligning emissions targets with a 1.5°C limit, accelerating health-related climate risk assessments, and implementing specific mitigation actions within the healthcare sector, which currently accounts for 6.7% of national emissions. It further suggests phasing out diesel subsidies, accelerating the coal phase-out date to 2030, and deprivatizing water to protect public health. The GCHA emphasizes the need for disaggregated epidemiological data to protect vulnerable groups and suggests using WHO tools to quantify the economic returns of health-promoting climate actions.

• Chile's 2020 NDC targets were rated as "almost sufficient" by Climate Action Tracker, but they were insufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C and implementation in transport and energy end-use has been slower than required.
• The healthcare sector in Chile is responsible for 6.7% of national emissions, yet the draft NDC currently lacks specific mitigation actions for this sector.
• Chile faces severe health burdens from air pollution, being the country in Latin America with the highest number of premature deaths caused by air pollution, with associated monetised costs reaching 1.63% of the national GDP.
• The GCHA recommends accelerating the timeline for the health climate risk assessment, which is currently slated for completion by 2029, because health impacts are already unfolding.
• To maximize health gains, the GCHA suggests shifting the national coal phase-out date from 2040 to 2030, specifically targeting the eight coal-fired plants that have not yet made firm retirement commitments.
• Urban green space in Chilean cities with more than 500,000 inhabitants is described as "exceptionally low," which limits the potential for reducing the urban heat island effect and improving mental and physical wellbeing.
• The document highlights that 5.9% of Chilean households lack access to basic housing and environmental services, which serves as a significant determinant of poor health for vulnerable populations.

APA

Global Climate and Health Alliance (2025). GCHA Submission: Consultation on the Draft NDC of Chile. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Chile-NDC-Submission.pdf

Chicago

Global Climate and Health Alliance. GCHA Submission: Consultation on the Draft NDC of Chile. 2025. https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Chile-NDC-Submission.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=Global Climate and Health Alliance |title=GCHA Submission: Consultation on the Draft NDC of Chile |date=April 2025 |url=https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Chile-NDC-Submission.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{globalclimateandhealthalliance2025gcha, author = {{Global Climate and Health Alliance}}, title = {{GCHA Submission: Consultation on the Draft NDC of Chile}}, publisher = {Global Climate and Health Alliance}, year = {2025}, month = apr, url = {https://climateandhealthalliance.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Chile-NDC-Submission.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }