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Argentina rolls back glacier protections amid mining push
Argentina's Congress approved reforms this week to relax safeguards for glaciers, raising concerns about water supplies for millions and the future of ecosystems dependent on Andean meltwater.
Why glaciers matter
In Mendoza, a semi-arid province known as Argentina's wine capital, vineyards rely on rivers fed by snow and glaciers from the Andes. Winemaker Virginia de Valle, whose family owns a 16-hectare vineyard, calls water the lifeblood of the region. "Mendoza is the daughter of water," she says. "Without it, there would be no wine-and no life."
Glaciers act as natural reservoirs, releasing water during droughts. Argentina has 16,968 glaciers, supplying 36 river basins across 12 provinces and serving seven million people.
The 2010 law and its undoing
Argentina became the first country to legally protect glaciers in 2010, banning commercial activities that could harm them or their surrounding periglacial environments-areas like permafrost that store frozen water. The Argentine Institute of Snow Research, Glaciology and Environmental Sciences (Ianigla) maintained a national inventory of glaciers under the law.
The recent reforms shift responsibility to provincial governments, allowing them to decide which glaciers are "strategic" for water supply, agriculture, biodiversity, or tourism. Those deemed non-strategic can be removed from the inventory, stripping them of protections.
Mining interests vs. environmental concerns
Supporters, including President Javier Milei, argue the 2010 law hindered mining projects critical to Argentina's economy and energy transition. Milei has called the Andes a gateway to billions in investment, noting that Chile-sharing the same mountain range-exports $20 billion in copper annually, while Argentina exports none.
"Argentina doesn't export even a single gram of copper. We need to change that."
President Javier Milei, November 2025
Mining firms like Glencore, Lundin, and BHP Group have met with Milei, eyeing $40 billion in investments for Argentina's untapped copper reserves, according to Bloomberg.
Opponents warn that loosening protections could disrupt river flows and threaten water security. Protests have erupted nationwide, with slogans like "Hands off the glaciers" painted across cities. Over 100,000 people signed up for a March public hearing on the reforms, though fewer than 400 were allowed to speak.
Scientific warnings and paradoxes
Glaciologist Lucas Ruiz calls the reforms flawed, arguing that all glaciers contribute water to rivers. "If it's a glacier, it has ice and provides water. That's basic," he says. Ruiz, an independent researcher at Ianigla, adds that the changes lack clarity about criteria and oversight, putting all glaciers at risk.
Ruiz also highlights a paradox: while glaciers are melting due to climate change-with Europe and the Andes projected to lose most by 2100-the energy transition requires copper and lithium, minerals often found near glaciers. "The message from science is clear: we need the energy transition, but it must be responsible," he says.
Provincial tensions and future risks
Provinces like Mendoza and San Juan, already facing water scarcity, pushed for the reforms, prioritizing mining over ecosystems, says Greenpeace biologist Agostina Rossi Serra. She fears provinces may relax protections to attract investment, creating a "race to the bottom" for environmental standards.
"If a company wants to develop a project, they'll choose the province with the fewest restrictions. That's our concern."
Agostina Rossi Serra, Greenpeace
Mining lawyer Federico Palavecino counters that provinces should decide their own environmental policies. "Why dictate how they live?" he asks, arguing that mining could bring much-needed revenue to communities.
A winemaker's warning
Back in Mendoza, De Valle uses her vineyard to educate visitors about the stakes. "This won't just affect wineries-it will affect life itself," she says. "Every drop counts."
