Patagonia is a region of mystery and striking diversity, a place where fjords, glaciers, coastal rainforests, dry steppes, pristine lakes and rushing rivers can all be found within a short distance of each other. Shared by Chile and Argentina, Patagonia covers much of South America’s southern cone.
The region has found itself in the crosshairs of power companies and others for decades. In 2007, two of Chilean Patagonia’s wildest rivers – the Baker and the Pascua – were threatened by a proposed cascade of five controversial megadams known as HidroAysén. Civil society mobilized, and a broad coalition of citizens, community groups, and national and international NGOs known as the Consejo de Defensa de la Patagonia (CDP, or Patagonia Defense Council) formed Patagonia Sin Represas to protect Patagonia from destructive development.
The campaign to protect Patagonia became the largest environmental struggle in Chile’s history, lasting over seven years. The tireless efforts of river defenders in Chile and around the world helped create massive popular opposition to HidroAysén – both within Chile and abroad – which eventually led to the project’s cancellation. Chile is rich in energy options.
Studies by The University of Chile and other experts have found that the country can meet its future energy needs without hydroelectric dams. Investment in energy efficiency, together with renewable sources such as solar, geothermal and wind, would ensure a sustainable energy future for Chile. International Rivers and our partners are calling for the Chilean government and the private sector to support cleaner alternatives and to keep Patagonia’s rivers wild.
Activists gathered at El Manzano on the Río Baker in Patagonia, Chile to celebrate the International Day of Action Against Dams and For Rivers on 13 March, 2011 | Photo by: Berklee Lowrey-Evans 
Baker river dam site | Photo by International Rivers.
Related Resources
- Rios Salvajes (Wild Rivers)
Latest Updates
- Covid-19 Impacts in the Amazon and Patagonia: Crisis to Opportunities Series
By: Monti Aguirre, Latin America Program Director (with Brent Milliken, Latin American Program Director) The global COVID-19 crisis has shed a light on the deep-seated inequities in the way our rivers … Read more - IN THE MEDIA | Our Cherished Rivers are Under Threat
Permanent protections for free-flowing rivers need to be a centerpiece of every country’s national climate action plan. Chile can lead the way. Originally published on the New York Times, 12/29/2019 … Read more - Help Us Protect the Puelo River in Patagonia
By: Sarah Bardeen, former Senior Communications Director The Puelo River needs your support! The Puelo, which originates in Argentina, is one of the largest rivers in Chilean Patagonia and a … Read more - New Hope for China’s Last Free-Flowing RiverAccording to several Chinese news sources, the government of Yunnan Province has decided to stop all dam construction in the Nu Valley, a biodiversity hotspot of global importance. The decision still … Read more