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In January 2026, severe wildfires affected central-southern Chile and northern Patagonia in Argentina, driven by temperatures above 38°C, drought, and winds of 40–50 km/h. The fires destroyed at least 1,000 homes in Chile, killed 23 people, and burned over 109,000 hectares across both countries, impacting the UNESCO world heritage site Los Alerces National Park. An attribution study using the hot-dry-windy index (HDWI) found that these conditions, typically 1-in-5-year events, were made more likely by human-induced climate change by a factor of approximately 3 in Chile and 2.5 in Patagonia. Additionally, fire-season rainfall intensity decreased by about 25% in Chile and 20% in Patagonia. The study highlights that nonnative monocultural pine plantations increased flammability and that natural variability, such as La Niña and the Southern Annular Mode, further enhanced the hot and dry conditions.

The guide outlines best practices for covering wildfires, advising journalists on physical safety, the distinction between climate-driven conditions and ignition sources, and the importance of reporting on vulnerable populations and adaptation measures. It notes that while direct attribution of a single fire to climate change is difficult, global warming increases the frequency and intensity of disasters through higher temperatures and prolonged droughts.

The study identifies coastal upwelling events in the western San Matías Gulf, Argentina, noting approximately six upwelling-favorable wind events per year during the austral summer. Satellite sea surface temperature (SST) data confirmed upwelling in 85% of cases between 2000 and 2008, with specific events showing cold water bands approximately 10 km wide and 100 km long. In-situ data indicates that along-shore wind stress is the dominant process controlling high-frequency near-shore temperature fluctuations.

The document argues that the Science and Technology system (SCyT) can improve decision-making regarding forest plantations in northwestern Patagonia by characterizing territorial heterogeneity, assessing land suitability and impacts, and analyzing the social construction of problems. It suggests using cause-and-effect trees and the analysis of Ecosystem Services (ES) to determine who benefits from these activities.

The study analyzes the hydrogeomorphological dynamics of the Bajo de Sarmiento basin from the Holocene to the present, combining geological data, satellite imagery, and social surveys. It finds that while climate variability and aridity have historically been the primary drivers of water body dynamics, human activities over the last 120 years have intensified these effects, resulting in a shift from an exorheic to an endorheic basin regime and the near-disappearance of one of the lakes by 2016.

The study analyzed chlorophyll concentrations from 1997 to 2017 using SeaWiFS and MODIS Aqua data across four Large Marine Ecosystems (LMEs). It found significant increases in chlorophyll concentrations in large portions of the Patagonia (PLME) and Humboldt (HLME) ecosystems, while increases in the South Brazil (SBLME) and Pacific Coastal Central America (PCACLME) ecosystems were limited to smaller regions.

The document details the expansion of salmon aquaculture in Chile, highlighting the ecological damage caused by open-net cages and the violation of Indigenous rights, particularly for the Kawésqar people. It argues that the industry faces increasing financial, legal, and regulatory risks due to its environmental footprint and failure to conduct proper due diligence.

The proposal seeks USD 399,901 over 24 months to address climate vulnerabilities in Argentina's Patagonian grasslands, which cover 750,000 km2 and support 200,000 rural inhabitants. The project aims to minimize the vulnerability of rural groups—specifically women-led households, Mapuche and Tehuelche indigenous peoples, and subsistence producers—by promoting regenerative livestock and wildlife management to reverse desertification and increase carbon sequestration. Key activities include conducting socio-economic and climate risk assessments for 10 selected vulnerable groups, creating a low-emission production strategy, and developing a formal GCF concept note to unlock larger-scale climate financing. The project will be implemented by the Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF) with technical support from the Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation (MinCyT) and the National Agricultural Technology Institute (INTA).

The SACC project investigates the exchange processes between the deep ocean and the continental shelf of eastern South America, specifically testing the hypothesis that the Subtropical Shelf Front (STSF) is a primary site for shelf water transfer. Initial findings indicate that the Patagonia shelf absorbs approximately 17 Tg C per year and that freshwater inputs from the Rio de la Plata and Patos Lagoon significantly influence ecosystem production in the Southwest Atlantic.

The report details progress in modeling land-atmosphere interactions in the La Plata Basin, specifically testing the use of Ecosystem Functional Types (EFTs) to better represent interannual vegetation variability. It describes the development of a South American Land Data Assimilation System (SALDAS) and the evaluation of various atmospheric reanalyses for precipitation accuracy. Additionally, the document covers efforts to estimate evapotranspiration using MODIS data, the potential remote effects of Amazonian deforestation on the basin, and the implementation of an agricultural decision support system in Paraguay.

The document describes a specific oceanographic mechanism on the Patagonian shelf where deep ocean currents force nutrient-rich cold water to the surface. This process, unlike wind-driven upwelling, remains active year-round, sustaining a vast food chain including phytoplankton, hake, and squid, and contributing to the ocean's role as a carbon sink. The influence of this system extends northward, fertilizing waters as far as Brazil.

The report evaluates the sustainability of Chile's tourism industry within the context of trade liberalization. It finds that while the sector has grown rapidly, contributing significantly to GDP and employment, there is a critical lack of systematic data on environmental impacts and a tendency for economic benefits to leak away from local communities. The document highlights the tension between WTO-mandated market access and the ability of the Chilean state to implement sustainable regulatory frameworks, particularly in protected areas and rural zones.