Participatory Mapping and Socio-Environmental Vulnerabilities: Natural Threats and Industrial and Urban Stressors in Mejillones.

This article addresses the identification and characterization of multiple risks in Mejillones, Chile, through a participatory mapping approach and the use of local knowledge. Unlike traditional approaches that separate natural hazards from stressors in the built environment, this work highlights how both categories interact, increasing the vulnerability of the local population. The primary goal is to understand how communities perceive and prioritize both natural hazards, such as tsunamis and earthquakes, and industrial risks, such as the storage and transportation of hazardous materials and environmental pollution.

The increase in storm surges because of climate change has had a direct impact on the management of the industrial zone, further exacerbating contamination in the bay and illustrating the interconnected nature of these risks. This study highlights how such phenomena, combined with other hazards, contribute to a complex vulnerability network where industrial stressors and environmental changes converge, increasing exposure to multiple risks.

Four participatory mapping workshops were conducted with key stakeholders, including neighborhood councils, fishermen, the Bay Protection Circle, and residents of informal settlements, who identified risk scenarios and mitigation strategies. The results reveal significant gaps in risk perception: while companies prioritize the management of industrial accidents, the community emphasizes environmental pollution and the lack of information on evacuation procedures. These discrepancies broaden the concept of risk, suggesting that the absence of consensus among stakeholders increases exposure to danger.

This participatory methodological approach offers a new perspective on risk management by integrating technical knowledge with local expertise, and it highlights the heterogeneous risks present in the territory. The study reinforces the importance of addressing both natural hazards and industrial stressors to reduce the vulnerability of the community, particularly in the face of evolving risks such as increased storm surges.