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Environmental Law Journal becomes part of Scielo Chile
The publication edited by the Environmental Law Center will be part of an open access collection of Chilean scientific journals in all areas of knowledge.
The Environmental Law Journal, edited by the Environmental Law Center of the Law School of the University of Chile, was admitted to be part of the SciELO - Chile Scientific Electronic Library.
SciELO - Chile is an open access collection of texts from Chilean scientific journals, from all areas of knowledge, which predominantly publish articles resulting from scientific research, and which uses peer review of the manuscripts they receive, which show a growing performance in the indicators of compliance with the indexing criteria.
"We are very pleased with this recognition, which is the result of an effort of continuous improvement of the editorial processes developed by the editorial team, which has resulted in the growing increase in the quality of the articles published over the years," said the director of the Journal, Prof. Valentina Durán Medina, adding "we are grateful for the support of the Faculty, which through its Dean, Prof. Pablo Ruiz-Tagle, and the Journals Program of the Research Department, headed by Prof. Daniel Álvarez, has provided permanent support to the work of the journal."
"Once the collaboration agreement between the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile and the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID) is signed, the full incorporation of the journal to this collection will take place, starting in 2022" explained the editor Jorge Ossandón Rosales.
This good news is in addition to the admission, in 2020, of the Environmental Law Journal to the SCOPUS database.
As a result, in 2022 the Environmental Law Journal will already be indexed in Scopus, Redib, DOAJ and Latindex, in addition to ScIELO, with the support of SISIB and the Journals Program of the Research Department of the Law School of the Universidad of Chile.
It should be noted that Issue 16 of this biannual journal will be published on December 31.
Rethinking the Political Dimension of Environmental Impact Assessment in Chile: Reflections on the Reform of Law No. 19.300
Authors
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Izaskun Linazasoro Espinoza
Universidad de Chile
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4469-9063
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Raúl Herrera Araya
Independiente
https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5441-1713
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Abstract
The Chilean government’s proposed reform of the Environmental Impact Assessment System is based on the assumption that removing the political dimension from environmental decision-making will enhance the system’s legitimacy, efficiency, and legal certainty. This article critically examines that premise and argues that “depoliticisation” does not eliminate political content but rather displaces it into less visible domains of the state apparatus. Drawing on discourse analysis, comparative review, and institutional critique, we argue that decisions involving significant environmental impacts are inherently political and that environmental law must take this condition seriously. Instead of eliminating politics, the reform should aim to institutionalise it through deliberative, transparent, and accountable mechanisms. The article also proposes alternatives to strengthen the legitimacy of the SEIA, including enhancing the functional autonomy of the Environmental Assessment Service and reimagining existing administrative instruments—such as plans, policies, and programs—as substantive parameters to guide discretion in environmental decision-making.Keywords:
environmental impact assessment , SEIA reform , environmental politics , institutional autonomyReferences
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