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The report examines the governance of copper and lithium in Chile, highlighting a significant gap between international sustainability principles and territorial realities. Through case studies in Tarapacá and Antofagasta, it identifies critical failures in indigenous participation, water management, and the equitable distribution of mining royalties. While the 2023 National Lithium Strategy is noted as a step toward state control and sustainability, the document argues that a just transition requires binding community participation, transparent fiscal management, and regional economic diversification to avoid reproducing historical extractivist inequalities.

The report identifies critical gaps in the implementation of mining laws in Chile, Colombia, and Peru, where energy transition mineral extraction often leads to human rights violations and environmental degradation. To address this, it proposes ten specific safeguards covering areas such as prior consultation, water rights, and the protection of environmental defenders. It advocates for a multi-level governance framework and international cooperation to ensure that the energy transition does not replicate historical extractivist patterns.

The interim evaluation of the Atacama Solar project in Chile's Tarapacá Region shows significant progress in constructing a 150 MW photovoltaic plant and a 45.5 km transmission line, with overall project advance at 89.8% as of October 2020. The project has improved financial efficiency, reducing total costs by 32% to USD 180 million and lowering the GCF mitigation impact cost to USD 9.90/tCO2. While stakeholder engagement and gender mainstreaming plans are active, the report notes delays in the project cycle and insufficient communication between the Executing Entity and national authorities. The project is aligned with Chile's goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 and its target of 20% non-conventional renewable power generation by 2025.