Chile will highlight the economic opportunities for innovation through technology to monitor the carbon emissions goals set by countries committed to carbon neutrality.
Minister of science, technology, knowledge and innovation Andrés Couve, who attended both the UN Climate Summit and the 51st session of the intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) in Monaco in September, told foreign press in Santiago that just as important as setting goals is knowing how to achieve them.
So far, 66 countries, including Chile, which will host the 25th UN climate change conference (COP25) in December, that are party to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) have committed to carbon neutrality by 2050.
“There is more than one way to reach those goals and we have to explore those options with the scientific community,” Couve said.
“The environment is part of the equation but there is also the side of sustainable economic development and with that comes opportunity for technology and innovation.”
Chile is already protecting 43% of its oceans, which according to Couve, is well above the 30% target set for 2030.
“That is a surface area of 3Mm2. How are we going to monitor that? We’re going to need satellite technology, drones, sensors, robotics and I would say that in those areas Chile is already well advanced,” Couve said.
Chile is also upping investments in its Antarctic region by building an ice-breaking ship and several research laboratories for collecting data.
The country has also assumed a leading role in Latin America in the use of renewable energy and electro-mobility in Santiago’s public transport system.
President Sebastián Piñera has set a goal of eliminating all coal-fired power plants by 2040. Chile has already reached its 2025 target of 20% renewable energy capacity, six years ahead of time and the goal of 70% by 2050 is expected to be reached as early as 2030.
Source: Bnamericas