Fighting for Free Flowing Rivers in Patagonia - Episode 17 (with Pía Weber Salazar)

In this episode we are joined by lawyer and activist Pía Weber Salazar who discusses her collective work securing legal protections for free flowing rivers in Chile. Pía explains how communities and activist coalitions are working together to protect entire river systems. This work focuses on the implementation of water flow reserves in the Futalefú and Puelo Rivers in Chilean Patagonia, where almost all of the rivers' flow is now protected, despite fierce competition from extractive industries and fragmented regulations. Pía emphasises how legal, community, academic and advocacy efforts can come together to secure better futures for rivers and related communities, and identifies the challenges that lie ahead.  As always, Cristy and Liz round off with recent developments in environmental law, including new developments in climate litigation from Europe, Australia and Aotearoa, the ongoing legal battle against nitrate polution in Canterbury, and large-scale resource management reforms underway in Aotearoa. Futaleufú and Puelo Become Chile’s First Protected RiversTowards a Holistic Environmental Flow Regime in ChileTowards durable legal protections for rivers in ChileEvolving rights to (and of) water in ChileNo more ministry for the EnvironmentAssessment framework for carbon removalsChanges to National Direction under the RMAMACA litigationFreshwater litigation in CanterburyELI v ECanClimate Clinic Aotearoa v Minister of Energy and ResourcesOxford Water Network Talking about Methods | Frontiers of Sociolegal StudiesWATER SHELF PODCAST: "Legal Geographies of Water" by Cristy ClarkAsmania et al. vs Holcim - ECCHR: Rising sea levels: An island fights against its demise ECLI:NL:RBDHA:2026:1347, Rechtbank Den Haag, C/09/659832 / HA ZA 24-53 (English translation)Would you like to leave us a comment about our show? send us a note hereVisit our podcast website - where you can find more information, including the show notes. You can also find us on the following platforms:LinkedIn - Liz & CristyBluesky - Liz & CristyOur websites - Liz & Cristy