The Episcopal Commission for Social Pastoral, belonging to the Argentine Episcopal Conference, published a letter addressed to national deputies and senators regarding the possibility of modifying the Law No. 26,639 of Minimum Budgets for the Protection of Glaciers and the Periglacial Environment.
In the text, the Church expressed its “deep concern” and urged legislators to “prioritize the common good over particular interests”, reminding them that the current law is the result of political, social, and scientific consensus.
Glaciers as “cathedrals of water”
The document emphasizes that glaciers are not mere economic resources but sources of water and life, regulators of climate and the hydrological cycle. The Commission defined them as true “cathedrals of water”, essential for populations, productive activities, and biodiversity.
The letter warns that access to safe and potable water is a basic and universal human right, whose impact first affects the poorest and indigenous communities.
Social Doctrine and Laudato Si’
The text revisits concepts from the Social Doctrine of the Church and the encyclical Laudato Si’, pointing out that there are no separate crises—one environmental and another social—but a single socio-environmental crisis. Under this premise, the Church called for promoting an integral approach that combats poverty, restores dignity to the excluded, and cares for nature.
The Social Pastoral urged legislators to:
- Maintain and strengthen the minimum protection budgets established by the Glacier Law.
- Listen to the voice of local communities and scientists in any parliamentary debate.
- Respect the ILO Convention 169 and the Escazú Agreement in discussions on resource exploitation.
Global water bankruptcy and historical responsibility
The letter warns that the planet has entered the era of “Global Water Bankruptcy”, with rivers, lakes, aquifers, wetlands, soils, and glaciers damaged to the point of losing realistic prospects for full recovery. In light of this, the Church urged recognition of nature’s limits as a condition for healthier human and social development.
The Commission appealed to the responsibility of representatives and cited Pope Francis, who warned about the effects of environmental degradation, the current development model, and the culture of waste. The text concludes with a call for intergenerational solidarity, urging legislators to be “strategists capable of prioritizing the common good over particular interests,” demonstrating the nobility of politics.
The Church’s intervention in the debate over the Glacier Law reinforces the idea that water is a universal and inalienable right and that its protection cannot be subordinated to short-term economic interests. The open letter serves as a reminder that glaciers are a natural and strategic heritage, essential for life and the future of upcoming generations.
