The budget of the Undersecretariat for the Environment would fall by 59%, according to radio.uchile.cl. The outlet published an opinion column warning that the cut jeopardizes climate change mitigation goals (reducing emissions) and adaptation goals (preparing for impacts). The column does not specify the amount in pesos or the exact budget year of the cut.
According to the text, the announcement coincided with historic rainfall in the Metropolitan Region and a mudslide in San Carlos de Apoquindo, in Las Condes. A week later, another weather front caused flooding and hailstorms in several parts of the country. These are weather events, meaning events occurring on specific days.
The column places these events within a long-term trend. It argues that Chilean science has established that extreme events tend to be more frequent and intense during El Niño years, the periodic warming of the equatorial Pacific, and that human-caused climate change worsens this situation. This connection is made by the authors and does not come from a technical report on the mudslide.
The text also cites surveys of public perceptions. The twelfth edition of the ACHS-UC Mental Health Thermometer, produced by the Chilean Safety Association and the Pontifical Catholic University, indicates that 54% of people feel stress associated with the effects of climate change. The figure is 14 percentage points higher than in the previous survey.
Other surveys point in the same direction. The 2025 PAIS Survey, by UC's Directorate of Social Studies (DESUC), shows that 69% of Chileans believe climate change will negatively affect their quality of life. In 2021, a study by the Center for Climate and Resilience Research (CR2) recorded high levels of concern, sadness, fear and guilt.
Among young people, the National Youth Institute's (INJUV) 2024 Climate Crisis and Mental Health Survey found that a third of people aged 15 to 29 say their concern about the climate influences their decision not to have children.
The authors describe a persistent gap between Chile's climate goals and the resources allocated to meet them. They add that the previous administration also cut funding for specialized climate change research. In their view, without its own data or capabilities, the state cannot anticipate risks or prioritize investments.
The column argues that the ongoing budget debate is the opportunity to reverse the cut. It calls on the government to reconsider the 59% cut and ensure stable funding for climate science. The executive branch proposes the budget, and Congress votes on it. The column does not include a response from the Ministry of the Environment.
