| The Pinochet regime in Chile has been characterized by an ultra-conservative ideology espousing the rights of the individual over those of the state, a minimal role for the state, a free-market economy, and individual initiative. The regime's environmental policy tends to reflect this philosophy. At the same time, the authoritarian nature of the regime has stifled opposition to its approach to environmental problems and, in some cases, has even suppressed the publicizing of those problems.;The Pinochet regime's environmental policy is identified through a contrast between what the regime has publicly stated about the country's environmental problems with what it has actually done in terms of legislation, enforcement, judicial decisions, and education. The comparison is accompanied by a description of the current state of the environment, including air pollution in Santiago, inland and coastal water pollution, endangered species, pesticide misuse, and other concerns recognized by Chilean environmental specialists.;Most of the threats to the Chilean environment are derived not from a lack of legislation but from a lack of enforcement. Yet the Pinochet government's sharp preference for a subsidiary role for the state have made it reluctant to enforce Chile's abundant environmental legislation. The regime's emphasis on the freedoms and rights of the individual appear to have led it to discount the need for a social or community perspective in dealing with environmental problems, with the government taking the initiative in seeking their resolution. |
