{"id":60050946,"date":"2024-09-20T16:39:29","date_gmt":"2024-09-20T15:39:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/?post_type=photo_story&#038;p=60050946"},"modified":"2025-04-04T18:35:08","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T17:35:08","slug":"in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future","status":"publish","type":"photo_story","link":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/","title":{"rendered":"In Chile, a \u2018sacrifice zone\u2019 waits on a better future"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In 2019, Chile <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cne.cl\/prensa\/prensa-2019\/06-junio\/gobierno-anuncia-salida-de-8-centrales-a-carbon-en-5-anos-y-retiro-total-al-2040\/\">pledged<\/a> to close all of its coal-fired power plants by 2040, a deadline that its government has in recent years sought to bring forward to <a href=\"https:\/\/dialogochino.net\/en\/climate-energy\/56654-will-chile-achieve-its-goal-of-an-energy-transition-by-2030\/\">before 2030<\/a>. So far, eight of 28 plants <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eldesconcierto.cl\/bienes-comunes\/2023\/08\/01\/radiografia-del-cierre-de-termoelectricas-8-cerraron-12-cierran-al-2025-y-8-no-tienen-fecha.html\">have closed<\/a>, while another 12 are set to shutter before the end of 2025. But for the remaining eight facilities, no closure date has yet been announced \u2013 including for those at Guacolda, the country\u2019s largest coal-fired power complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Guacolda, which hosts five coal-fired power plants with a combined capacity of <a href=\"https:\/\/guacoldaenergia.cl\/comunicados\/\">764 <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/guacoldaenergia.cl\/comunicados\/\">megawatts<\/a>, is located in Huasco, a port city in the northern province of the same name, part of the arid Atacama region. Huasco is currently home to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcn.cl\/siit\/reportescomunales\/comunas_v.html?anno=2023&amp;idcom=3304\">over 11,000 people<\/a> who primarily make their living in fishing and agriculture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The large industrial zone in which Guacolda sits also features a coal-fired iron ore pellet plant, operated by mining firm Compa\u00f1\u00eda Minera del Pac\u00edfico (CMP). For decades, this facility dumped its tailings \u2013 the residues from the grinding and processing of ores to extract valuable iron concentrates \u2013 into the nearby sea. This practice was only brought to an end <a href=\"https:\/\/rtnoticias.cl\/2023\/09\/28\/cmp-puso-termino-definitivo-al-vertimiento-de-relaves-al-mar-de-su-planta-de-pellets-en-huasco\/\">last year<\/a>, with the waste now being disposed of on a large area of land just south of the plant. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is because of the high levels of pollution from these industries that Huasco has come to be considered one of Chile\u2019s \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/pollution\/42193-the-complex-energy-transition-of-chiles-sacrifice-zones\/\">sacrifice zones<\/a>\u201d, a term used for areas of concentrated industrial activity, where environmental harms have often brought poor health and economic impacts for local residents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_drone-aerial_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_drone-aerial_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_drone-aerial_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_drone-aerial_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x788.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_drone-aerial_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1013.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_drone-aerial_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"large industrial complex including smoking towers on coast \"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">The city of Huasco is home to a massive coal-fired power complex, pictured here, and an iron pellet plant. It has come to be considered a \u201csacrifice zone\u201d due to pollution from these industries (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_drone-aerial_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1440\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Maria-Pilar-Trivino-Gonzalez_cleaning_window_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Maria-Pilar-Trivino-Gonzalez_cleaning_window_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Maria-Pilar-Trivino-Gonzalez_cleaning_window_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Maria-Pilar-Trivino-Gonzalez_cleaning_window_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Maria-Pilar-Trivino-Gonzalez_cleaning_window_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Maria-Pilar-Trivino-Gonzalez_cleaning_window_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"woman using cloth to clean window\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Huasco resident Pilar Trivi\u00f1o says she has to clean dust from her windows every day. A University of Chile <a href=\"https:\/\/repositorio.uchile.cl\/bitstream\/handle\/2250\/150647\/Caracterizaci%C3%B3n-de-polvo-negro-en-la-comuna-de-Huasco.pdf\">study<\/a> of the area reported this \u201cblack dust\u201d to be particulate matter air pollution linked to the burning of coal and the processing of iron ore by the nearby pellet plant. It was found to contain high levels of elements such as iron, manganese and vanadium. Exposure to particulate pollution can be harmful to human health, and has been widely linked to respiratory illnesses, cancer and pre-term births (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Maria-Pilar-Trivino-Gonzalez_cleaning_window_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Pilar Trivi\u00f1o is an environmental activist, visual artist and member of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/huasco_sin_relaves\">Huasco Sin Relaves<\/a> (Huasco Without Tailings), a local group campaigning against industrial waste dumping. She says respiratory illnesses are common in the city and communities in the nearby river valley. \u201cParticulate matter is everywhere, being breathed in day by day by all the inhabitants,\u201d she adds. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.elmostrador.cl\/destacado\/2022\/03\/18\/zonas-de-sacrificio-profundizan-su-condena-niveles-de-contaminacion-atmosferica-sobrepasan-todas-las-normas-de-la-oms\/\">A 2022 study<\/a> found that air pollutants in Huasco, though compliant with Chilean domestic standards, were above those recommended by the World Health Organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A local fisher, who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals, told Dialogue Earth that because of the many years of waste dumping in Huasco\u2019s coastal waters, he has to go further out to sea to find fish. He says fishers now receive economic support from CMP and <a href=\"https:\/\/portalweb.vallenardigital.cl\/cat-sin_categoria\/guacolda-y-sindicatos-de-pesca-de-huasco-renuevan-convenio-de-colaboracion\/\">Guacolda\u2019s operator<\/a> \u2013 payments he describes as \u201creparation\u201d \u2013 but argues it is not enough. \u201cWe are leaving future generations with nothing,\u201d he adds. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The impacts are also said to have been felt in local agriculture. Alex Gajardo and Carmen Luisa Castillo are a local couple who grow olives along the Huasco River, which waters a fertile strip of valley that runs between desert hills to meet the sea just north of the city. They say air pollution from the Huasco industries has caused trees to fail to bear fruit. \u201cWe used to get 10,000 kg per hectare,\u201d says Castillo. \u201cToday, if we\u2019re lucky, we\u2019re getting 3,000 kg.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_water-spilled-into-the-sea_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_water-spilled-into-the-sea_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_water-spilled-into-the-sea_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_water-spilled-into-the-sea_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_water-spilled-into-the-sea_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_water-spilled-into-the-sea_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"liquid from coastal power complex being released into sea\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Water used for cooling by the Guacolda power complex is released back into the sea. The practice has been observed to raise the temperature of waters and impact marine animals, including <a href=\"https:\/\/portal.sma.gob.cl\/index.php\/huasco-sma-formula-8-cargos-a-la-termoelectrica-guacolda-por-afectacion-a-especies-marinas-y-por-incumplimientos-a-la-normativa-de-riles\/\">rare birds<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1462901113000488\">fish<\/a>. One local fisher says Huasco\u2019s waters once supported an abundance of marine life, including sardines and mackerels. He blames both the power complex and the dumping of waste by the pellet plant for changing this (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_water-spilled-into-the-sea_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"1 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_lapa_shellfish_fishers_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_lapa_shellfish_fishers_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_lapa_shellfish_fishers_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_lapa_shellfish_fishers_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_lapa_shellfish_fishers_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_lapa_shellfish_fishers_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"yellow plastic tub filled with marine molluscs\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">The dumping of tailings into the sea over four decades increased turbidity, which has been found to impede the growth of phytoplankton, the base of the marine food web. Government analysis has described a <a href=\"https:\/\/mma.gob.cl\/entregan-diagnostico-del-estado-ecologico-ambiental-del-borde-costero-de-huasco\/\">toxic legacy<\/a>, with both seawater and sediments continuing to contain higher levels of elements such as arsenic and copper. Fishers say they must now travel much further from shore to bring in catches, especially of shellfish (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_lapa_shellfish_fishers_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"1 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_anchored-boats_port_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_anchored-boats_port_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_anchored-boats_port_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_anchored-boats_port_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_anchored-boats_port_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_anchored-boats_port_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"narrow boats on sea\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Fisher families in Huasco say that they have recently started to receive \u201creparations\u201d from the pellet plant and the Guacolda power station, with each reportedly giving 50 million Chilean pesos a year. They say this equates to about 856 pesos (USD 0.9) per day for each family. Though the companies have <a href=\"https:\/\/portalweb.vallenardigital.cl\/cat-sin_categoria\/guacolda-y-sindicatos-de-pesca-de-huasco-renuevan-convenio-de-colaboracion\/\">announced<\/a> assistance programmes to local fishers, they have not publicly confirmed these figures (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_anchored-boats_port_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dipres.gob.cl\/597\/articles-316276_r_ejecutivo_institucional.pdf\">2017<\/a>, Huasco was included, along with other sacrifice zones, in the Chilean environment ministry\u2019s Programme for Environmental and Social Recovery (<a href=\"https:\/\/pras.mma.gob.cl\/huasco\/\">PRAS<\/a>), created to intervene in areas with critical levels of contamination. It targeted partnerships with local companies and the local government, setting out new environmental regulations, improving air quality monitoring and carrying out consultations with citizens. However, community participants claim the programme has not provided substantive solutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Guacolda Energ\u00eda, operator of the power station, told Dialogue Earth that it had participated in the programme and worked on \u201csocial, environmental and cross-cutting\u201d measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It said it \u201cmaintains productive strengthening programmes with organisations of artisanal fishers and with olive growers of Huasco, with the objective of promoting their development.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When asked about air quality in Huasco, Guacolda Energ\u00eda told Dialogue Earth that it had taken a \u201cseries of measures\u201d since 2014 to reduce emissions as part of an environment ministry pollution prevention plan. It stated that \u201cin recent years these have dropped significantly\u2026 to the point that Huasco no longer qualifies as a latency zone for particulate matter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-pull-quote block--pull-quote\"><div class=\"block--pull-quote__wrapper\"><blockquote class=\"block--pull-quote__quote\">This place has been affected for more than 40 years. Even if they close the station tomorrow, the impact will not go away immediately<\/blockquote><cite class=\"block--pull-quote__cite\">Pilar Trivi\u00f1o, Huasco resident, artist and environmental activist<\/cite><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The company is <a href=\"https:\/\/guacoldaenergia.cl\/comunicados\/\">currently evaluating<\/a> a plan to convert the complex for the production of \u201cgreen ammonia\u201d, a fertiliser and fuel produced using renewable energy. It says this would allow it to avoid closure and maintain the jobs of the more than 900 people who work there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Despite these challenges, many of Huasco\u2019s young people still dream of being able to continue living here. Local campaign groups have called for the closure of polluting industries, but understand the complexity of what this means. \u201cMore than an energy transition, we have to achieve a labour reconversion, looking for new economic activities,\u201d says Catalina Gaete V\u00e1squez from Resueltas del Valle (Resolutes of the Valley), a local ecofeminist collective set up in 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Resueltas-del-Valle_Freirina_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Resueltas-del-Valle_Freirina_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Resueltas-del-Valle_Freirina_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Resueltas-del-Valle_Freirina_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Resueltas-del-Valle_Freirina_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Resueltas-del-Valle_Freirina_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"three women standing among riparian bush\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Catalina Gaete V\u00e1squez (left) with other members of Resueltas del Valle near the Huasco River at Freirina, upstream from the city. \u201cOur valley can no longer withstand so much extractivism,\u201d she says. \u201cNothing is being done to protect it. Not by the authorities, who ought to be doing it. It is just the communities trying to resist as much as we can. Because we don\u2019t want to leave\u201d (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Resueltas-del-Valle_Freirina_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Fabiola Perez, a regional councillor for Huasco, says the community set out its desire \u201ca long time ago\u201d for sustainable economic development based on activities such as agriculture and tourism. \u201cWhen we talk about a change in the productive matrix, that is the change. The communities are not willing to lose this valley, which is unique,\u201d she adds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While they wait on the future redevelopment of the industrial zone, the inhabitants of Huasco are also witnessing the expansion of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reporteminero.cl\/noticia\/noticias\/2023\/02\/estudio-impacto-ambiental-parque-fotovoltaico-el-huasco\">solar energy projects<\/a> around the region, taking advantage of its proximity to the Atacama Desert, which receives some of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.ngenespanol.com\/el-mundo\/el-desierto-de-atacama-es-el-lugar-con-la-luz-solar-mas-intensa-de-la-tierra\/\">highest levels of solar radiation<\/a> on Earth. However, some are critical of the projects being located near towns and on valuable agricultural land, claiming the energy produced will not go to residents but towards mining operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWhile they are thinking about closing the thermoelectric station, they are invading our territory with photovoltaic panels and power lines. The underlying thinking has not changed,\u201d says Trivi\u00f1o. \u201cThis place has been affected for more than 40 years. Even if they close the station tomorrow, the impact will not go away immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_aerial_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_aerial_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_aerial_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_aerial_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x788.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_aerial_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1013.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_aerial_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"aerial view of large power complex\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">A view of Compa\u00f1\u00eda Minera del Pac\u00edfico\u2019s (CMP) iron pellet plant, with the Guacolda power complex in the background. Until last year the pellet plant was dumping its tailings into the sea, reportedly at an average rate of <a href=\"https:\/\/seia.sea.gob.cl\/archivos\/RCA_215_PLANTA_PELLETS.pdf\">4,700 cubic metres<\/a> a day. Community members and <a href=\"https:\/\/es.mongabay.com\/2018\/08\/oceano-chile-minera-vierte-relaves-al-mar-sin-autorizacion\/\">media reports<\/a> claim the amount was at times double this figure (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_aerial_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1440\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_pellets-vegetation__Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_pellets-vegetation__Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_pellets-vegetation__Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_pellets-vegetation__Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_pellets-vegetation__Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_pellets-vegetation__Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"iron pellets on ground near vegetation\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Discarded iron pellets can be seen scattered near the plant and the industrial zone\u2019s sea terminals. Produced from ore mined deep in the interior of the province, the pellets are exported for use in blast furnaces (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_pellets-vegetation__Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_dust-footprints_CMP-pellets-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_dust-footprints_CMP-pellets-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_dust-footprints_CMP-pellets-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_dust-footprints_CMP-pellets-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_dust-footprints_CMP-pellets-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_dust-footprints_CMP-pellets-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"footprints in dust\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">The industrial zone is also covered in layers of black dust. According to a University of Chile <a href=\"https:\/\/repositorio.uchile.cl\/bitstream\/handle\/2250\/150647\/Caracterizaci\u00f3n-de-polvo-negro-en-la-comuna-de-Huasco.pdf\">study<\/a>, this could come from the pellet plant\u2019s stockpiles of iron ore and the handling of materials. This dust contributes to air pollution found all over Huasco (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_dust-footprints_CMP-pellets-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_tailings-deposit_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_tailings-deposit_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_tailings-deposit_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_tailings-deposit_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x788.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_tailings-deposit_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1013.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_tailings-deposit_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"large open tract of land with dark tracks\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Following years of citizen complaints and government sanctions, the pellet plant has now begun to dispose of its tailings on land rather than into the sea. The tailings are filtered, which removes water to make them more compact and stable, and will be gradually built up into five terraces that the company says will be covered with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cmp.cl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/CMP_ENG_Cap4_Innovacion-y-futuro.pdf\">sand and native plants<\/a>. The site is located near Brava beach, which is popular among residents in summer (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_tailings-deposit_CMP-pellets-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1440\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_Alejandro-Varas_tailings_cacti_CMP-pellet-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_Alejandro-Varas_tailings_cacti_CMP-pellet-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_Alejandro-Varas_tailings_cacti_CMP-pellet-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_Alejandro-Varas_tailings_cacti_CMP-pellet-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_Alejandro-Varas_tailings_cacti_CMP-pellet-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_Alejandro-Varas_tailings_cacti_CMP-pellet-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"man touching cactus\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Alejandro Varas, a spokesperson for the Huasco Sin Relaves (Huasco Without Tailings) campaign, touches dying cacti at the new tailings site. Since it was set up three years ago, the organisation has brought various legal challenges against the new tailings deposit project, which they claim will increase pollution and damage Indigenous archaeological sites (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_Alejandro-Varas_tailings_cacti_CMP-pellet-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_ferronor_train_city_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_ferronor_train_city_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_ferronor_train_city_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_ferronor_train_city_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x788.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_ferronor_train_city_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1013.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_ferronor_train_city_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"aerial view of busy road running through town\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">The Ferronor railway transports iron ore from the CMP-owned Los Colorados mine, 45 km to the north-east of Huasco. To reach the pellet plant, the line follows the Huasco Valley for much of its length. The trains roll through every couple of hours, every day of the year, passing schools, residential neighbourhoods and farmland (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_ferronor_train_city_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"1 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1440\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_Carmen-Luisa-Castillo_olive-trees_Los-PInos_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_Carmen-Luisa-Castillo_olive-trees_Los-PInos_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_Carmen-Luisa-Castillo_olive-trees_Los-PInos_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_Carmen-Luisa-Castillo_olive-trees_Los-PInos_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_Carmen-Luisa-Castillo_olive-trees_Los-PInos_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_Carmen-Luisa-Castillo_olive-trees_Los-PInos_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"woman picking olives\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Farmer Carmen Luisa Castillo harvests olives from her trees in El Pino, a community in the Huasco Valley. She says young people tend to escape rural areas like this, leaving fewer and fewer people to farm the land. Her partner, Alex Gajardo, adds that the challenges faced by local agriculture receive little support and attention, and that education and training programmes are geared towards industrial activities (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240426_Carmen-Luisa-Castillo_olive-trees_Los-PInos_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_olive-trees-dust_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_olive-trees-dust_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_olive-trees-dust_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_olive-trees-dust_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_olive-trees-dust_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_olive-trees-dust_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"leaves of olive tree coated in dust\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Many of the couple\u2019s olive trees are coated in black dust, which affects photosynthesis. Castillo says this is one of the reasons productivity has declined (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_olive-trees-dust_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--article\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_magnet-particulate-matter_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_magnet-particulate-matter_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_magnet-particulate-matter_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_magnet-particulate-matter_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_magnet-particulate-matter_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_magnet-particulate-matter_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"handheld magnet over dust covered paper\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Gajardo passes a magnet over the dust found on their olive trees to show how much iron it contains (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_magnet-particulate-matter_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_sorting-olives_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_sorting-olives_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_sorting-olives_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_sorting-olives_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_sorting-olives_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_sorting-olives_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"man holding olives over flat surface\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">Gajardo removes leaves and twigs from harvested olives before preparing them for market by curing them. He says acid rain, caused by the burning of coal, is also impacting productivity by affecting the trees\u2019 blossoms, a claim backed up by a <a href=\"https:\/\/portalweb.vallenardigital.cl\/cat-provincia_huasco\/presentan-resultados-de-estudio-sobre-contaminacion-de-olivos-del-huasco\/\">2013 study<\/a> evaluating the impact of pollution on the area\u2019s olive sector (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)\u00a0\u00a0<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240425_Alex-Gajardo-Araya_sorting-olives_Los-Lirios_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_chimney_Guacolda-coal-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_chimney_Guacolda-coal-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_chimney_Guacolda-coal-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_chimney_Guacolda-coal-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_chimney_Guacolda-coal-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_chimney_Guacolda-coal-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"smoke released into air from tower\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">The burning of coal releases sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, which are key causes of acid rain. These gases, together with carbon monoxide, ozone, and particulate matter under 10 and 2.5 microns in size (known as PM10 and PM2.5) are <a href=\"https:\/\/sinca.mma.gob.cl\/index.php\/region\/index\/id\/III\">monitored<\/a> by 11 air quality stations in Huasco and its valley (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240424_chimney_Guacolda-coal-plant_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"1 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_poster_heavy-metals_diseases_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_poster_heavy-metals_diseases_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_poster_heavy-metals_diseases_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_poster_heavy-metals_diseases_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_poster_heavy-metals_diseases_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_poster_heavy-metals_diseases_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"person pointing at poster stuck on concrete slab\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">A campaign poster in Huasco blames Guacolda and CMP for polluting the environment with toxic elements such as nickel and cadmium, causing various health issues, including lung cancer and chronic asthma. A 2019 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chilesustentable.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/08\/Danos-a-la-salud-en-zonas-con-termoelectricas-a-carbon-Tocopilla-Mejillones-Huasco.pdf\">study<\/a> by the NGO Chile Sustentable found that residents of Huasco have a 71% higher chance of dying of cardiovascular diseases compared to the national average. They also were reported to have a 53% higher chance of falling ill due to respiratory causes (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_poster_heavy-metals_diseases_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family-Maria-Pilar_Pensilvania_Luis-Alberto_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family-Maria-Pilar_Pensilvania_Luis-Alberto_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family-Maria-Pilar_Pensilvania_Luis-Alberto_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family-Maria-Pilar_Pensilvania_Luis-Alberto_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family-Maria-Pilar_Pensilvania_Luis-Alberto_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family-Maria-Pilar_Pensilvania_Luis-Alberto_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"three people standing together with smoking towers in background\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">\u201cFor many, living in a sacrifice zone is like living in a violent relationship,\u201d says Pilar Trivi\u00f1o (left), alongside her parents, Pensilvania Gonz\u00e1lez and Luiz Alberto Trivi\u00f1o. Pilar lost her brother to cancer, and her sister has suffered from asthma since childhood (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family-Maria-Pilar_Pensilvania_Luis-Alberto_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-cd-story-image aligncenter block--story-image block--story-image--wide\" itemscope itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\"><div class=\"block--story-image__column\"><div class=\"block--story-image__image\"><img class=\"lazy\" data-src=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Nature-scream_Luis-Alberto-Trivino-Charlin_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Nature-scream_Luis-Alberto-Trivino-Charlin_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Nature-scream_Luis-Alberto-Trivino-Charlin_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Nature-scream_Luis-Alberto-Trivino-Charlin_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1400x934.jpg 1400w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Nature-scream_Luis-Alberto-Trivino-Charlin_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-1800x1201.jpg 2000w, https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Nature-scream_Luis-Alberto-Trivino-Charlin_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 768px, (max-width: 999px) 1024px, (max-width: 1400px) 1400px, (max-width: 2000px) 2000px, 2560px\" alt=\"carved tree with smoking towers in background\"\/><\/div><div class=\"block--story-image__content\"><div itemprop=\"caption\" class=\"block--story-image__caption\">A sculpture by Luis Alberto Trivi\u00f1o near the coast of Huasco, with the industrial zone visible in the distance. Under the carving, the inscription reads: \u201cThe Cry of Nature. I too used to be part of this poisoned world\u201d (Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nicolekramm.com\/\">Nicole Kramm<\/a> \/ Dialogue Earth)<\/div><\/div><\/div><meta itemprop=\"contentUrl\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Nature-scream_Luis-Alberto-Trivino-Charlin_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth.jpg\"\/><meta itemprop=\"contentSize\" content=\"2 MB\"\/><meta itemprop=\"height\" content=\"1708\"\/><meta itemprop=\"width\" content=\"2560\"\/><meta itemprop=\"author\"\/><meta itemprop=\"representativeOfPage\" content=\"true\"\/><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The city of Huasco has suffered in the shadow of the country\u2019s largest coal-fired power complex. As it faces closure or conversion, doubts remain over the road ahead<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":60051080,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[757,50039949],"tags":[50029615,50029739,50040263,50039973,50029705],"country":[50000024,50003531],"class_list":["post-60050946","photo_story","type-photo_story","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-energy","category-poluicao","tag-carvao","tag-mineracao","tag-poluicao-da-agua","tag-poluicao-do-ar","tag-saude","country-chile","country-chile-pt-br"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v26.0) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>In Chile, a \u2018sacrifice zone\u2019 waits on a better future<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The city of Huasco has suffered in the shadow of the country\u2019s largest coal-fired power complex. As it faces closure or conversion, doubts remain over the road ahead\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"In Chile, a \u2018sacrifice zone\u2019 waits on a better future\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The city of Huasco has suffered in the shadow of the country\u2019s largest coal-fired power complex. As it faces closure or conversion, doubts remain over the road ahead\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Dialogue Earth\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-04-04T17:35:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family_looking-at_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-thumbnail-2.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"800\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/\",\"name\":\"In Chile, a \u2018sacrifice zone\u2019 waits on a better future\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family_looking-at_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-thumbnail-2.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2024-09-20T15:39:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-04-04T17:35:08+00:00\",\"description\":\"The city of Huasco has suffered in the shadow of the country\u2019s largest coal-fired power complex. As it faces closure or conversion, doubts remain over the road ahead\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family_looking-at_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-thumbnail-2.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family_looking-at_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-thumbnail-2.jpg\",\"width\":1200,\"height\":800,\"caption\":\"backs of three people looking towards smoking towers on coast\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"In Chile, a \u2018sacrifice zone\u2019 waits on a better future\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Dialogue Earth\",\"description\":\"Global climate and environment news\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#organization\",\"name\":\"\u5bf9\u8bdd\u5730\u7403\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Dialogue-Earth-Symbol-Logo_Black-Text.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Dialogue-Earth-Symbol-Logo_Black-Text.png\",\"width\":256,\"height\":256,\"caption\":\"\u5bf9\u8bdd\u5730\u7403\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/DialogueEarth_\",\"\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DialogueEarth.English\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/dialogue.earth\/\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/dialogueearth\/\"],\"publishingPrinciples\":\"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/about\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"In Chile, a \u2018sacrifice zone\u2019 waits on a better future","description":"The city of Huasco has suffered in the shadow of the country\u2019s largest coal-fired power complex. As it faces closure or conversion, doubts remain over the road ahead","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"In Chile, a \u2018sacrifice zone\u2019 waits on a better future","og_description":"The city of Huasco has suffered in the shadow of the country\u2019s largest coal-fired power complex. As it faces closure or conversion, doubts remain over the road ahead","og_url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/","og_site_name":"Dialogue Earth","article_modified_time":"2025-04-04T17:35:08+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":800,"url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family_looking-at_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-thumbnail-2.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/","url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/","name":"In Chile, a \u2018sacrifice zone\u2019 waits on a better future","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family_looking-at_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-thumbnail-2.jpg","datePublished":"2024-09-20T15:39:29+00:00","dateModified":"2025-04-04T17:35:08+00:00","description":"The city of Huasco has suffered in the shadow of the country\u2019s largest coal-fired power complex. As it faces closure or conversion, doubts remain over the road ahead","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family_looking-at_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-thumbnail-2.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240423_Trivino-Gonzalez-family_looking-at_Guacolda-coal-plants_Huasco_Chile_Nicole-Kramm_Dialogue-Earth-thumbnail-2.jpg","width":1200,"height":800,"caption":"backs of three people looking towards smoking towers on coast"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/energy\/in-chile-a-sacrifice-zone-waits-on-a-better-future\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"In Chile, a \u2018sacrifice zone\u2019 waits on a better future"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/","name":"Dialogue Earth","description":"Global climate and environment news","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#organization","name":"\u5bf9\u8bdd\u5730\u7403","url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en","@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Dialogue-Earth-Symbol-Logo_Black-Text.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Dialogue-Earth-Symbol-Logo_Black-Text.png","width":256,"height":256,"caption":"\u5bf9\u8bdd\u5730\u7403"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/twitter.com\/DialogueEarth_","","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/DialogueEarth.English","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/dialogue.earth\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/dialogueearth\/"],"publishingPrinciples":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/about\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/photo_story\/60050946","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/photo_story"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/photo_story"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60050946"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/photo_story\/60050946\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60057076,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/photo_story\/60050946\/revisions\/60057076"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/60051080"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60050946"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60050946"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60050946"},{"taxonomy":"country","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dialogue.earth\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/country?post=60050946"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}