Climate Litigation Cases in Latin America and the Caribbean

In 2020, people belonging to the Mejillones community requested the Environmental Assessment Service (SEA) to review an environmental qualification resolution of the Angamos thermoelectric plant in 2007.

The organization FIMA, representing the Civil Society of the Huasco Environmental and Social Reparation Council, the Huasco Ecological Assembly (CRAS Huasco), and Huasco Consciente, filed a protective action against AES GENER SA. The action alleges that the company's actions deprive, disrupt, and threaten the exercise of their rights to use and enjoy their intangible property rights, including their rights to life, physical and mental integrity, and an environment free from pollution. They further allege the deprivation of their right to health protection.

A group of artisanal fishermen and members of the Women in Sacrifice Zone in Resistance organization exercised their right to have the environmental damage to the area where they live and work, caused by the activity of the Ventanas Industrial Complex, recognized and remedied .

A group of residents and organizations from the municipalities of Puchuncaví and Quintero, coordinated by the Environmental Defense organization, filed 12 actions for the protection of constitutional guarantees due to the violation of the rights to life, health, and an environment free from pollution. Four of the actions were filed against various companies operating in the sacrifice zone of the Ventanas Industrial Complex for the generation of gases and chemical compounds that caused mass poisoning in the area.

The Environmental Assessment Commission of the Magallanes and Chilean Antarctic Region issued an unfavorable environmental qualification resolution (RCA) to the project submitted by the owner of the "Mina Invierno" coal mine, which sought to incorporate blasting into its coal extraction operations. The main reason for the rejection was the potential impact of blasting on the Loreto paleontological formation.