TY  - GEN
AU  - Angarita, Héctor
AU  - Pasten, Roberto
AU  - Araos, Ana Luisa
AU  - De la Vega, Xaviera
AU  - Vogl, Adrian 
AU  - Fournies, Paula
AU  - López, Ignacia 
AU  - Shee, Álvaro 
AU  - Callau, Vanessa
AU  - Llaguno, Duval
AU  - Murguia, Juan M.
AU  - Saavedra, Valentina
AU  - Del Rio Arteaga, Mariana Teresita Carmen
ED  - Kimbrell, Elana
TI  - Contributions of Natural Capital Approaches to the Implementation of Public Policies in Chile (Final Report)
PY  - 2026
Y1  - 2026/03/03
DO  - 10.18235/0013964
AB  - The Natural Capital Valuation Pilot Project in Chiles Bueno River Basin demonstrates how Natural Capital Approaches (NCA) can be applied to support territorial public policy and decision-making. The initiative addresses a key information gap identified by Chiles Natural Capital Committee by integrating biophysical, economic, and regulatory data into a practical framework for managing natural capital. Through ecosystem service modeling, economic valuation, and spatial analysis, the project quantified and mapped six priority ecosystem services, estimating that the basins natural capital generates approximately US$496 million in annual benefits, particularly through climate regulation, sediment retention, and water regulation.

The project also explored how natural capital information can be integrated into public policy instruments, particularly Law No. 21,600, which established the Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (SBAP), and its Biodiversity Compensation Instrument. By combining ecological, economic, and regulatory criteria, the study identified priority restoration areas that maximize ecosystem service co-benefits, align with biodiversity compensation requirements, and minimize opportunity costs. A complementary analysis of the regulatory framework highlighted information needs, institutional gaps, and opportunities for incorporating natural capital considerations into biodiversity compensation planning and implementation.

The findings demonstrate that Natural Capital Approaches can improve the efficiency, transparency, and traceability of biodiversity compensation measures while supporting broader environmental and development objectives. The methodology provides a replicable framework that can be adapted to other regions and scaled nationally, helping strengthen integrated natural capital management across Chile. Key recommendations include translating technical findings into concrete institutional actions, enhancing interagency coordination and technical capacity, and advancing interoperable data governance systems to support evidence-based decision-making and the recognition of nature as a strategic asset for sustainable development, productivity, and competitiveness.
UR  - https://doi.org/10.18235/0013964
ER  -