After three weeks of protest and social upheaval, people are still taking to the streets in Chile in overwhelming numbers, calling for social justice and demanding dignity.
I have spent a week in Santiago, witnessing first-hand the police use of force and repression.
An armoured vehicle with a water-cannon chased protestors down my hotel’s small street at least twice and multiple tear gas attacks occurred outside my hotel window on several days.
I went to Chile because the United Nation's Climate Conference was to be hosted in Santiago. Now, I am an observer of the widespread protests which are calling for President Sebastian Pinera to resign, a new constitution and to address the widespread inequality.
Australian environmentalist John Englart is in Chile due to the United Nations climate conference being originally hosted in Santiago. He now finds himself an observer of the widespread social protest movement calling for the President Sebastian Pinera’s resignation, a new constitution and progress to addressing social inequality.
It’s that time of year again when countries get together to discuss taking action on climate change. Progress is painfully slow at these United Nations Climate Change Conferences (known as COPs). We are up to number 23 — hence it is called COP23.
COP23, held in Bonn, Germany from November 6-17, is not as significant as COP21 in 2015, when the Paris Agreement was negotiated. Much of this year’s conference is concerned with fleshing out details of the Paris Agreement, the so called rulebook, for adoption in 2018.