Argentina rolls back glacier protection law, raising water crisis fears

Argentina’s Congress has weakened the glacier protection law by passing a controversial amendment, paving the ways for once-prohibited mining in glacier regions.

In 2010, the country set the precedent by approving the pioneering Glacier Law. This law prohibited all kinds of mining and exploration activities in glacier regions by protecting them as water reserves.

Under the new reform, the authority to designate protected glacier zones has shifted from the federal Argentine Institute for Snow, Ice and Environmental Sciences to individual provincial governments.

President Javier Milei, a vocal supporter of the measure, argued that the change empowers provinces to manage their own natural resources, while maintaining that the shift also facilitates mining operations in areas “where there was nothing to protect.”

The Senate had already passed the bill in February 2026. Now the endorsement coming from the lower house has removed all the restrictions.

The recent amendment has fuelled concerns among the environmentalist and climate activists groups. The opponents also argued that the reform would put water resources at high risk.

"Without water, we can't even think about a growth and development project," Congresswoman Natalia de la Sota said.

Greenpeace has also sounded alarm over the passage of a recent bill, citing that not all glaciers and peri glaciers can be considered as strategic water reserves.

"The periglacial environment, apart from being water reserves because they consist of water inside, undergoes a gradual thaw that feeds the rivers and streams of our country," Agostina Rossi Serra, a biologist working with Greenpeace explained.

"And a large part of our country, especially the regions that were keen to see this law amended, are arid and semi-arid areas, where water is a scarce resource," she added.

However, the backers of the amendment have slammed the opposition, calling it a way to portray the mining industry as a monster.

Under this bill, Argentina’s glaciers and periglacial environments will fall under the protection of the national Ianigla inventory.

This protection remains in place unless provincial leaders can demonstrate that these areas do not function as "strategic" water reserves.

Right now, Argentina has 16,968 glaciers, known for providing water to 36 river basins across 12 provinces.