'Every drop of water counts': Fear for the future of Argentina's glaciers

Argentina's Congress passes controversial law stripping protections from glaciers, clearing the way for large-scale mining projects. | Contesto: cronaca

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• 'Every drop of water counts': Fear for the future of Argentina's glaciers

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Argentina's Congress has passed a controversial law removing key environmental protections for the nation's glaciers, a move critics say opens the door to extensive mining operations in some of the country's most fragile and vital ecosystems. The legislative shift, finalized this week, directly impacts vast ice fields across the Andean region, which represent one of the world's largest freshwater reserves outside the polar caps. The now-repealed legislation, originally enacted to preserve glacial and periglacial zones as strategic water resources, had imposed significant restrictions on industrial activity. The new law dismantles this regulatory framework, specifically lifting bans on mining, oil drilling, and other extractive industries within these protected areas. Proponents within the government and mining sector argue the previous law stifled economic development in resource-rich provinces, blocking critical investments and job creation in a struggling economy. Environmental scientists and advocacy groups are sounding an immediate alarm. They warn that industrial activity, particularly large-scale mining which often uses chemicals and generates massive waste, poses an existential threat to the glaciers. "Every drop of water counts," stated one leading glaciologist, capturing the prevailing fear that contamination and physical disruption could irreparably damage these slow-moving rivers of ice. The glaciers are not only scenic landmarks but crucial water sources for millions of Argentinians, feeding rivers that sustain agriculture, cities, and entire ecosystems across the arid west. The debate has exposed a deep national rift between urgent economic needs and long-term environmental security. Government officials frame the law as a necessary step toward fiscal stability, leveraging Argentina's mineral wealth—including copper, gold, and lithium—to generate export revenue. Opponents counter that sacrificing glaciers for short-term gain is a catastrophic bargain, jeopardizing water security for future generations and ignoring the accelerating impacts of climate change, which already threatens these ice masses. Legal challenges are expected, with several...

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Categoria: cronaca