Within the framework of the **28th National Water Congress (CONAGUA)**, held in **Mar del Plata**, a new report from the **National Glacier Inventory** was presented, revealing a **42% loss of glacier surface** in Argentina over the last **30 years**, with a **marked acceleration in the last decade**.
The retreat is attributed to **climate change** and the advancement of **mining activity**, even in areas protected by law.
## An escalating environmental crisis: over 8,400 km² of lost ice
According to **Laura Zalazar**, coordinator of the Inventory, the situation is **alarming**: of the **16,968 identified glaciers**, ice masses in **8,484 km²** have been lost, including **2,715 km²** in the glaciers of the **South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands**.
Although the **Glacier Law** has helped to slow down part of the deterioration, the advancement of economic sectors and global warming **complicate its effective implementation**.
## Strategic reserves of freshwater and sustainability
These large ice masses in Argentina stretch along **3,500 kilometers** in the [**Andes mountain range**](https://noticiasambientales.com/ciencia/investigacion-clave-para-la-historia-geologica-de-la-cordillera-de-los-andes-revela-datos-inesperados/), and are the **main reserve of freshwater** in the country. Their role is crucial for:
– Supplying water basins
– Sustaining agricultural activities
– Boosting nature tourism
– Regulating the ecological balance of high mountains
## UNESCO warns of a global crisis
**Koen Verbist**, a glacier expert at [**UNESCO**](https://www.unesco.org/es), recalled that **2025 was declared the International Year of Glacier Conservation**, and the planet is facing a situation that is transitioning from **serious to catastrophic**.
“**70% of the world’s freshwater** is contained in glaciers, and their disappearance jeopardizes global water security,” he pointed out.
## Latin America in retreat: tropical glaciers on the brink of extinction
Specialist **Rodolfo Iturraspe** from the **National University of Tierra del Fuego** warned that **tropical glaciers** are rapidly disappearing:
– **Mexico**: only **0.5 km²** of glacier surface remains
– **Peru**: lost **387 glaciers**
– **Bolivia**: the only existing glacier disappeared
In Argentina, the process is already underway. The case of **Ventisquero Negro** on **Cerro Tronador** led to the formation of a new lake between **1990 and 2021** as a result of glacier retreat.
## Mining and climate denial
**Leandro Gómez** from the **Environment and Natural Resources Foundation (FARN)** pointed out that **mining activity**, although prohibited in these areas, **progresses in practice**, driven by an **economicist outlook** that views environmental protection as an obstacle.
“**Even the Glacier Law has been proposed to be reformed by decree** to facilitate mining exploration,” he warned.
## A protection model at risk: Argentina was a pioneer in legislating on glaciers
Argentina was the **first country to have a law protecting glaciers**, and its monitoring model has been praised by international organizations.
However, experts and organizations warn that **lack of political will**, combined with **climate denialism**, jeopardize its effective implementation and the **conservation of high mountain ecosystems**.
