LATIN AMERICA

Area: 756,102 km²

Geography: Chile’s climate is incredibly diverse due to its unique geography running between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Therefore, the country shows several distinct climate zones such as arid temperatures in the north to mediterranean in central regions, and polar climate in Antarctic territories in the south. ^{(CIA, 2024)}

Land Degradation: Land degradation in Chile is a growing environmental concern, driven by factors such as deforestation, intensive agriculture, and climate change. Especially arid and semi-arid regions face soil erosion and desertification, exacerbated by mining activities and water scarcity. Soil degradation is increasingly becoming more problematic leaving 18% of the total rural population in degraded agricultural land. ^{(UNCCD, 2018)}

Sustainable Land Management: Chile has been dedicated to developing a national framework for sustainable land management to combat land degradation, mainstream biodiversity into national policies, and protect forest carbon assets. Part of Chile’s commitment under the UNCCD is the focus on preventing and reversing land degradation, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. The efforts to combat land degradation ensure long-term health of the environment, and supporting of the well-being of local communities. ^{(World Bank, 2019)}