On February 13, 2026, Chile marks a significant environmental milestone with the full implementation of the final phase of the Single-Use Plastics Law, which prohibits food establishments from using single-use plastic items.

The international environmental organization Oceana has launched this audio series, which through three episodes, emotionally and realistically explores what could happen in the Humboldt Archipelago if the controversial mining and port project Dominga moves forward. The initiative features renowned Chilean actors Octavia Bernasconi and Andrew Bargsted.

A wave of 23 complaints regarding foul odors has led the Superintendence of the Environment (SMA) to formally charge EWOS Chile Alimentos Ltda. for environmental violations impacting the community of Coronel in the Biobío region.

Ercilia Araya Altamirano, president of the Indigenous Community Pai Ote, formally lodged a complaint with the United Nations, alleging that the Chilean government, under Environment Minister Maisa Rojas, closed the Indigenous consultation for the Maricunga National Park in a rushed and flawed manner, excluding local communities from participation.

The lagoons and salt flats of northern Chile are not just desert mirrors; they represent fragile ecosystems of immense ecological, cultural, and hydrological value, notably the Soncor Hydrological System, a Ramsar Site since 1996.

Since 2012, Conaf has enforced 52 expulsions in Magallanes parks (174 individuals), with Israelis (53) at the top of the list, followed by Chileans (28) and French (17).

With a session of the Ministers' Council scheduled for February 12, the Colla community warns that the government appears to be pushing for park approval despite a pending Supreme Court case. "They cannot lock down the territory," stated their president, Ercilia Araya, in a letter to Minister María Heloísa Rojas Corradi.

A study conducted by the "Scientists of Waste" program from the Universidad Católica del Norte, supported by Oceana Chile, analyzed waste composition across 60 beaches in the country, confirming that cigarette butts, plastic bags, and single-use plastics remain prevalent along the Chilean coast, despite the existing laws aimed at preventing this pollution.

After a video of him smoking in the park went viral, the court granted a conditional suspension: $2 million to the Fire Department, a three-year prohibition from returning to Chile, and exit from the country. This marks the second case this summer season.

With local drive and global support, the Conserva Puchegüín campaign exceeded its fundraising goal and acquired the Fundo Puchegüín, a 133,000-hectare area in the heart of Cochamó, which serves as a true climate refuge housing 58,000 hectares of primary forests and nearly 11% of the world’s larches, home to endemic species such as the huemul, the monito del monte, the pudú, and Darwin's frog. Now, with community involvement, this invaluable site will benefit from a comprehensive conservation plan.