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Popular Norm Initiative Presented to Advance Towards a Sustainable and Carbon-Neutral Chile

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The proposal, driven by the country's timber-producing regions, seeks to enshrine in the Constitution the right to sustainable development and the promotion of renewable and nature-based productive activities.

Members of Futuro Madera, a network comprising various organizations, individuals, and workers linked to the timber industry and its derivatives, presented a proposed norm to the Constitutional Convention titled: "For a Sustainable Chile that Promotes Nature-Based Solutions." With this initiative, they aim to contribute, from the timber sector, to the comprehensive development of the new Constitution, which will determine the country's progress moving forward.

"Chile and the world are in a state of climate emergency, and it is urgent to consider a growth model with a sustainable focus. Those of us who work and live around timber have united in an extensive network of individuals and organizations seeking to propose ideas and solutions for a greener and more social future. We call on all citizens who support a greener and more social Chile to join this proposal and endorse our commitment to the territories and people," stated Antonio Minte, manager of the Chilean Biomass Association (AChBIOM).

The text was developed thanks to contributions from over 4,000 workers, SMEs, companies, and trade associations in the timber sector, who participated in an unprecedented dialogue process taking place across Chile's timber-producing regions. These discussions gave rise to ideas that shaped this initiative, which includes a series of recommendations regarding constitutional norms that would enable sustainable development in Chile and promote nature-based solutions.

"There are more than 300,000 of us working directly and indirectly in the timber industry. We are proud and aware of the productive, social, and environmental contributions we make to Chile and the planet. We want to continue contributing with ideas and proposals because we want Chile to be greener and more social, where sustainable development and the promotion of renewable productive activities are enshrined in the Constitution," said Pamela Díaz, vice president of Pymemad.

Among the key aspects of the initiative is the recognition of every person's right to live in a healthy environment and for nature to be preserved in its diversity while being utilized for its productive capacity to ensure sustainable development. Secondly, it establishes that the State has a duty to protect nature and promote renewable productive activities that contribute to sustainable development and climate change mitigation.

Popular Norm Initiative No. 20,366, presented by Futuro Madera, requires 15,000 electronic signatures (via Clave Única) through the portal https://iniciativas.chileconvencion.cl to be considered by the Constitutional Convention in its deliberation process.