Environmental organizations, locals, and tourists held a symbolic embrace of the Perito Moreno glacier on Wednesday in defense of the Glacier Law.
The demonstration aimed to highlight the opposition to the reform promoted by the national government, which could facilitate hydrocarbon and mining exploitation in glacial and periglacial areas.
The event took place on the walkways of the Los Glaciares National Park, in Santa Cruz.
At 1 PM, dozens of activists gathered in front of the imposing ice mass to express their concern for the future of these strategic ecosystems and in defense of the current Glacier Law.
The Government seeks to modify the Glacier Law in Congress
The embrace in defense of the Glacier Law took place within the framework of the legislative debate on its possible modification.
The government of Javier Milei insists on the issue, including a reform to Law No. 26,639 in the agenda of the extraordinary sessions of Congress.
These began on February 2 and will extend until the 27th of the same month, and the official project has already received favorable approval in Senate committees.
According to the Government, the initiative seeks to “clarify its application”, provide greater legal security, and promote productive investments, especially related to mining activity.
What the Glacier Law reform proposes
The proposal includes significant changes in the current protection. It would allow provinces to define which glaciers or periglacial areas remain protected and which can be excluded from the National Inventory.
The main points include:
- Delegation to provinces to decide which glaciers remain protected
- Exclusion of those without “relevant” hydric function
- Elimination of mandatory environmental assessments
- Reduction of the universe of protected areas
Environmental sectors warn that these changes weaken the defense established in the Glacier Law since 2010.
The current regulation protects not only glaciers but also the periglacial environment, essential for the conservation of freshwater.
The strategic importance of the current regulation
According to the World Meteorological Organization, glaciers hold 70% of the planet’s freshwater.
In particular, in Argentina, Los Glaciares National Park represents one of the largest freshwater reservoirs.
“Defending glaciers is defending water and life”, was one of the slogans of the call in defense of the Glacier Law.
The demonstrators emphasized that any advance on the regulation endangers the protection of key ecosystems.
The participants expressed that the reform allows activities that could irreversibly affect natural resources.
In this sense, they positioned themselves in defense of the current Glacier Law, considered a fundamental tool to safeguard water against extractive interests.
The national mobilization in defense of the Glacier Law
The symbolic embrace was one of many actions being carried out in different cities. El Calafate, El Chaltén, Caleta Olivia, and Río Gallegos added awareness activities.
This defense movement of the Glacier Law also included informative talks, collection of signatures, and a national campaign growing from the territories.
The organizations highlighted that this type of mobilizations aims to prevent decisions that compromise access to drinking water.
The Glacier Law was enacted in 2010 after years of struggle and popular mobilization. The protection achieved then now faces a new challenge in the face of the advance of extractive projects in the Patagonian region.
