Special Feature: Regional Manifestations of the Anthropocene: The Case of Chile

The Anthropocene as an epoch has been extensively characterized at the global scale. However, facing its adverse regional manifestations requires of improved understanding of local and regional aspects. As the world at large, in Chile one finds multiple geo-historical records of large-scale perturbations of the natural environment that identify the emergence of a new geological era. Also, accelerated urbanization and land use changes, in addition to distinct anthropogenic disturbances on climate that result in drying and warming trends where ca. 90% of the population concentrates, as well as on the Chile-Peru upwelling system, pose challenges to the country’s sustainability. Still, opportunities and ways forward also appear. The analysis of the many challenges and opportunities at stake for Chile, constitute relevant information for other countries in the region and elsewhere in the world to face the new epoch. This set of articles highlights regional manifestations of the Anthropocene in Chile, and synthesize science and policy relevant information.

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