Climate & Food Security: UBS warns a very strong El Niño could keep inflationary pressure on Latin America by disrupting food, hydropower and transport, with Colombia flagged as especially exposed. Extreme Heat & Health: A new multi-country study links hotter periods to more hospitalizations for mental and behavioral disorders, with Chile included among the affected countries. Water & Ecosystems in Chile: Researchers using long-term owl diet records in northern Chile’s Bosque Fray Jorge show warming and drying are shifting predator-prey relationships over decades. Community Science: A UACh scientist highlights Mapuche-led community monitoring of water quality in the Lake Ranco sub-basin, finding nutrient increases downstream of fish farms. Packaging & Waste: Copefrut and Sinclair roll out compostable labels for apples, plums and kiwifruit starting Q3 2026 to cut single-use plastic. Landfill Methane Tech: StratX raises $1.19M to curb landfill methane using nature-based covers and aims to generate high-integrity carbon credits. Biodiversity & Conservation: Chile’s Humboldt Current protection effort moves to safeguard 14 species tied to 15% of the world’s seafood. Protest & Policy: Chilean groups No + Zonas de Sacrificio and Asamblea Ecologista call a national protest July 15 against a controversial mega-reform they say could weaken environmental enforcement.