New project for high school students will explore climate complexities in Chile and Argentina
Piedras Rojas in Chile’s Atacama Desert. source: WestcottWikimedia Commons
The unique landscapes of Chile and Argentina host critical resources necessary to cope with climate change, while also sustaining devastating climate impacts. The region is an important supplier of one of the world’s most precious materials. Argentina, Bolivia and Chile are known as “lithium triangle’, with more than half of the world’s lithium reserves – key to making the batteries that play an important role in the energy transition and climate solutions.
The lucrative lithium mining industry has brought economic prosperity to these countries.However, there are Environmental and Ethical Issues About extraction practice. Lithium mines exploit large amounts of groundwater, making Chilean lithium mines in the Atacama desert hotter and drier. A 2022 Study found that lithium mining has led to an 11% decline in local flamingo populations over the past decade.Environmental Degradation Caused by Lithium Mining negatively impact surrounding Aboriginal communities, to advance social justice issues. The environmental impact of mineral extraction is exacerbating climate pressures already felt in the region. Climate change in Chile and Argentina is melting glaciers, exacerbating water insecurity and conflict over water rights. The complexity of the region’s response to climate change makes the region a particularly important area of research.
A new program will help high school students gain insight into the region’s climate challenges and solutions through field, place-based learning experiences.This Summer 2023, we are pleased to offer Columbia Climate Mission Chile and Argentina Project first!
this colombia climate team The Summer Program is a climate and sustainability-focused small group travel program designed for motivated high school students. The program combines purposeful travel with in-depth educational opportunities to experience destinations through the lens of climate change and focus on site-specific themes.
The Climate Corps Chile and Argentina projects focus on the topic of climate impacts and risks. The three-week journey begins in Santiago, Chile, where students will hear from Nicolas Maennling, an Andean expert on sustainable management of mineral resources and responsible mining practices, before visiting a mining town to learn about the industry. They will travel to Valparaíso, Chile, to learn from the Naval Hydrology and Oceanography Service on climate disaster risk reduction strategies.
Students will then travel north into the colorful lagoons, salt flats and volcanoes of the Atacama Desert to learn about the region’s mining history. Students will discuss human rights and gender issues in the mining industry while learning about the impact of desertification and water management challenges on local communities.
Students will then travel into the Argentine Andes and meet small communities to learn how climate change is affecting their region. Here, students will hike through extraordinary geological formations, explore the biodiversity of Calilegua National Park, and learn about the conservation of wild lands and ecoregions.
Antonia Samur is National Disaster Preparedness Center in the Columbia Climate School. Antonia has experience working at the interface of climate impacts and human development. She will be participating in the inaugural Columbia Climate Mission Chile and Argentina projects in summer 2023.
The trip concludes in Salta, Argentina, where students will complete their final project and share it with their peers, while reflecting on the experiences they just shared together.
Taking a trip to Chile and Argentina this summer is Antonia Samuel of National Disaster Preparedness Center. Antonia has a background in climate impacts and human development. In the Q&A below, Antonia talks about her excitement for the upcoming Columbia Climate Corps Summer College Prep Program.
What will you teach in the Columbia Climate Team Chile and Argentina program? Why do you like to speak to young people about these topics?
I will be teaching the challenges of climate change and other disaster hazards in Chile. I will focus on the social and political dimensions of climate change, disaster impacts and coping/adaptive capacity, as well as Chile’s disaster management system, and how disaster management policy has evolved over the past few decades in response to disaster events.
What is the importance of engaging high school students in climate change challenges and solutions?
We need younger generations to be interested in innovative solutions to climate change mitigation and adaptation, and to understand its complexities as climate change interacts with all other global challenges. These challenges are multidisciplinary, requiring future generations of college graduates to think about their lives and careers in a more holistic way than previous generations. We need creative and flexible minds that can be optimistic enough to imagine a sustainable future and then build it. We need young professionals to help us think outside the box.
When thinking about climate change, the most obvious fields that students are likely to think of are technology, engineering, advancing the physical sciences and research, etc. But just as important, if not more important, is the development of socio-political change that humanity needs to achieve equitable and sustainable development. So, for me, opportunities like this trip are important because they will show high school students some of these complexities in a very practical way and hopefully encourage optimism about the power of collective action.
Hiking in Chile’s Atacama Desert. photo: Florian Delino splash
What do you hope students get out of this program?
I think the experience of traveling to different countries is enriching in itself. From my own experience, my travels abroad in high school opened my mind in many ways and led to a lot of personal growth. Therefore, I hope that students can fully experience different environments and cultures. I want them to challenge themselves, step out of their comfort zone, make new friends, broaden their horizons, and deepen their understanding of the world. Then I want them to be encouraged to go home and find ways that they can make the world a better place while also meeting their needs. I hope this trip helps them develop a sense of purpose.
What do you hope to get out of this project?
I hope to use this as an opportunity to learn from my classmates, understand their concerns, and understand their views on these issues. I haven’t taught a lot, so this was also a learning opportunity for me to figure out effective ways to teach these issues in a very practical, practical and down-to-earth way.
What are you most excited about this summer?
Go for a walk with students and get away from my desk for a while. I love doing fieldwork and meeting people, which is different from what I do every day. I look forward to a change of pace, and most importantly, I look forward to talking to students, listening to their concerns, and learning from them.
What do you think was the most impactful component of the program?
I think it will be a combination of being in a country that faces many challenges related to climate change and disasters, while also being encouraged to think about how they can be proactive and purposeful in thinking about solutions and their own role in the world. I hope this is a very inspiring experience.
learn more
colombia climate team chile and argentina The program will run from July 22 to August 11, 2023. start your application and review application requirements.
Looking for more climate-themed tours? We also host the Columbia Climate Mission Summer Program at two other locations:
- Alaska: Climate Communication and Exploration, July 17-28, 2023
- Iceland: Carbon Capture Technologies, July 20-August 1, 2023
Looking for campus-based summer programs? Columbia Climate School in Green Mountain It will be held this summer in Castleton, Vermont from July 2-July 14, 2023.
