Health, Local governance, and Social Innovation in South Chile

Welcome to a new Spanish episode of Global Citizenship in Practice: 

La crisis atmosférica en Temuco, Chile, enreda causas económicas, obstáculos sociales, y consecuencias para nuestra salud que la vuelven un problema complejo de zanjar. Durante esta #Climathon, tres expertas chilenas se reúnen a discutir este desafío bajo tres aristas principales: Salud, política local, e innovación social. La polución al sur de Chile se ha vuelto crítica en los últimos años, y solo una comprensión transversal del problema y la acción colaborativa crearán el cambio que nuestras -y futuras- generaciones necesitan para volver a respirar.

The air pollution crisis in Temuco, Chile, tangles economic causes, social obstacles, and consequences in our health; making it a difficult problem to sort out. In this podcast episode from our #ClimathonTemuco panel session, three Chilean experts gather at the table, to discuss this problem under three main factors: health, local governance, and social innovation. Pollution in South Chile has become critical in the last few years, and we know only a transversal comprehension of the problem and collaborative action can create the change our -and future- generations need, to breathe again.

Topics discussed in the podcast: 

• How does a pollution crisis affect our health?
• How does pollution behave in urban areas?
• Causes and origins of particulate matter in South Chile.
• Decontamination plans for Temuco and Padre Las Casas communes in La Araucanía Region.
• Firewood: Exploring the Chilean home-heating system.
• Less money, fewer options: What is "energy poverty"?
• What is the "district energy" system innovation - and how can it help?
• Challenges of the air pollution crisis in Temuco. 

Podcast Guests: 

• Belén Rodríguez is Internist at Hernán Henríquez Aravena Hospital in Temuco, and Senior Fellow in the Melton Foundation. | She covered the pollution crisis and its consequences in the human body, as well as pollution-related diseases and the projection of such situations for future generations.
• Paula Castillo is Ministerial Secretary of Environment for the La Araucanía region. | She explained about how our local governments are tackling the pollution crisis in the region, the challenges ahead, and future prototypes and measures to address them.
• Gustavo Ciudad is Director at the UFRO (Universidad de La Frontera) Environmental Institute. | He spoke about the concept of "energy poverty", socioeconomic barriers to sustainable societies, and environmental responsibility for citizens.

Happy Listening!