Chile: Incorporating a Just Transition into Chile’s Nationally Determined Contribution

Chile's updated 2020 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) introduces a "social pillar" designed to align climate action with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This framework includes eight criteria for the design and monitoring of climate measures, specifically addressing the decarbonization of the power matrix and the closure of 28 coal-fired power plants by 2040. To support this, Chile launched a process in June 2020 to develop a "Strategy for Just Transition" by 2021, utilizing a three-tier governance structure involving government, companies, unions, and communities. While the NDC is praised for integrating social issues across all policy areas and establishing monitoring mechanisms, labor unions have expressed concerns regarding the government's legitimacy and the exclusion of workers from the NDC enhancement process.

• Chile's updated April 2020 NDC includes a "social pillar" that establishes eight criteria to be used in the design, implementation, and monitoring of climate measures, aiming to create synergies with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and protect vulnerable groups.
• The Chilean government is committed to closing all 28 of its coal-fired power plants by 2040, a process that could result in 4,400 direct job losses and impact 9,500 people indirectly. To manage this, a "Strategy for Just Transition" is being developed for adoption in 2021.
• The governance of the Strategy for Just Transition for Energy, launched in June 2020, consists of three levels: a decision-making inter-ministerial committee, an executive committee (including government, companies, unions, and community representatives), and a local committee for creating community action plans.
• Despite the NDC's structural strengths in monitoring and social integration, labor unions have questioned the government's legitimacy and the meaningful inclusion of workers, noting their exclusion from the NDC enhancement process.

APA

World Resources Institute (2021). Chile: Incorporating a Just Transition into Chile’s Nationally Determined Contribution. https://www.wri.org/snapshots/chile-incorporating-just-transition-chiles-nationally-determined-contribution

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Chile: Incorporating a Just Transition into Chile’s Nationally Determined Contribution. 2021. https://www.wri.org/snapshots/chile-incorporating-just-transition-chiles-nationally-determined-contribution.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Chile: Incorporating a Just Transition into Chile’s Nationally Determined Contribution |date=1 April 2021 |url=https://www.wri.org/snapshots/chile-incorporating-just-transition-chiles-nationally-determined-contribution |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitute2021chile, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Chile: Incorporating a Just Transition into Chile’s Nationally Determined Contribution}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, year = {2021}, month = apr, url = {https://www.wri.org/snapshots/chile-incorporating-just-transition-chiles-nationally-determined-contribution}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }