The Regional Government of Santiago de Chile has tasked LSE Cities with reviewing and advising on the future implementation of the ERD with support of the University of Santiago (USACH). The objective is to identify factors that could either support or hinder the implementation of the region's strategic vision for key actions across various policy areas. This includes recognising opportunities, barriers, and challenges related to the initiatives and actions the regional government plans to undertake through 2035.
In response to the challenge, LSE Cities launched the Santiago Urban Age Task Force in May 2024 to support the Regional Government in advancing its strategic development agenda. The Task Force builds on the success of the Urban Age Programme, and it is designed to support cities and regional governments deliver sustainable urban change on the ground acting as a 'temporary think tank'.
The policy domains and their key actions to be addressed by the project are:
- Social development for territorial equity: Focusing on urban regeneration of city centres integrating social housing and urban infrastructure.
- Public spaces for all: Focusing on increasing the number of public spaces and making the network accessible, inclusive and safe.
- Sustainable regional and metropolitan mobility: Focusing on increasing active mobility, establishing ‘30km per hour-zones’, public-private partnerships for cycling and scooters and an integrated cycling network.
- Environment and resilient territory: Focusing on regional action on climate change, looking specifically at green and blue infrastructure.
- Circular economy, innovation and tourism: Focusing on positioning Santiago as a global city and reactivation of some commercial neighbourhoods.
- Multilevel governance with citizen participation: Focusing on inter-communal investment initiatives and participatory democracy.
The results of Santiago’s Task Force will be a compendium of policy briefs summarising:
- the advisory and engagement activities undertaken on the ground;
- analytical results from surveys and interviews with regional and national experts;
- comparative examples of similar implementation practices at the international level and
- practical advice on the implementation challenges and opportunities identified.
- 6 policy briefs summarising the main challenges, opportunities and key recommendations for the Regional Development Strategy’s implementation.
- 6 workshops with relevant local and international stakeholders.
Ricky Burdett, Project Director
Director of LSE Cities and Urban Age and Professor of Urban Studies
Catalina Duarte, Project Leader
Policy Officer, LSE Cities
Alexandra Gomes, Data Expert
Research Fellow, LSE Cities
Josefa Errazuriz, Project Manager
Researcher, LSE Cities