The recent allocation of funds by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID) excluded key centers like the Center for Climate Science and Resilience (CR2), reigniting debates on Chile's scientific policy. This shift eliminates previous priority areas, such as climate change, amid wildfire alerts. Experts warn that the country is losing strategic research capabilities.
Amid a week of wildfire alerts across several regions in Chile, ANID announced funding for National Interest Centers, excluding the CR2, a leading interdisciplinary research hub on climate change with over 13 years of positive international evaluations. This center, previously led by Environment Minister Maisa Rojas, competed under a new funding model that replaces 'priority areas'—such as climate change or cancer—with project typologies, per a 2023 update to the National Centers Policy by the Ministry of Science.
Pilar Moraga, CR2 director and University of Chile academic, states that 'the concrete effect of this change is that Chile now lacks state funding for climate and resilience science.' The project received excellent scores from an international panel but failed the national non-scientific review, with no public details on final scores. Without the annual $1.2 billion for five years, the center faces operational unviability, impacting climate risk platforms and public policy support.
Another exclusion is the Center for Geroscience on Mental Health and Metabolism (Gero), whose alternate director Cristián González-Billault notes it is 'strikingly notable that aging was not considered a national interest topic,' given the rapid population aging and gaps in healthy life expectancy. Of 69 applications for these centers, only 11 were awarded and three placed on a waitlist; overall, from 183 varied submissions, 29 secured funds.
Similar cases include the Center for the Study of Conflict and Social Cohesion (COES), which after 12 years underscores its legacy as a public good. Awarded centers include those on soils, adolescent well-being, and solar energy. Moraga questions alignment with the Framework Law on Climate Change, which requires decisions based on available science, and is considering an appeal.
