Milei’s Changes to Glacier Law Signal Environmental Setback in Argentina Favoring Mining

Amid a police operation to control protesters gathered outside Congress rallying for «The Glacier Law Must Not Be Touched«, Argentina’s Chamber of Deputies granted preliminary approval to the modification of Law 26.639, which sets Minimum Budgets for the Protection of Glaciers and the Periglacial Environment. This measure, championed by Javier Milei’s government and opposed by environmental organizations, water resource experts, and the majority of opposition parties, marks a significant environmental setback and a shift in the country’s policies on the protection of its freshwater reserves.

The voting outcome, which extended past midnight, resulted in 137 votes in favor, 111 against, and three abstentions, allowing the regulation redefining the scope of periglacial zones to facilitate the advancement of mining projects to pass.

Farewell to «Strategic Reserves»

The fundamental change introduced by the new legislation alters the essence of the original law approved in 2010, which was considered pioneering in Latin America. Previously, the legislation protected all glaciers and periglacial environments as strategic reserves of water resources for human consumption, agriculture, biodiversity, energy generation, and scientific research, prohibiting any mining or industrial activities or the discharge of pollutants that could harm them.

With the reform, this protection is drastically reduced: only those glaciers that prove a «relevant and verifiable water contribution» to the watersheds will remain protected, as reported by Página/12.

In practice, this modification excludes a vast number of smaller ice formations, debris glaciers, and periglacial areas that play a crucial role in groundwater regulation and climate balance. Thus, it opens the door for mining projects, particularly in open-pit metal mining sectors like lithium and copper, to encroach upon these territories.

The opposition parties and environmental NGOs denounced the initiative, warning that it negates the ban on activities that could disrupt the natural state of areas deemed essential for biodiversity, climate balance, and human consumption.

Accusations of “Farce,” “Looting,” and Mining Lobby

The debate in the chamber was tense and characterized by allegations of external pressures. The first to speak was libertarian deputy and head of the Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Commission, José Paluc, who defended the preliminary process of the project.

In a brief intervention without delving into technical details, Paluc focused on justifying the public hearing held days earlier, labeling it a democratic milestone.

However, this perspective was immediately challenged by the opposition. Union for the Homeland deputy Sabrina Selva condemned the process as a simulation and highlighted the pressures from the extractive sector.

She emphasized that the current law has no legal loopholes, has been confirmed by the Supreme Court, and that the modification serves the interests of mining companies.

“Decisions will be based more on political criteria than on scientific ones,” she asserted, while refuting claims that the current legislation is anti-mining.

“The Argentine Mining Chamber acknowledges exponential growth,” she reminded.

“Milei Was Elected by Corporations for Fast Looting”

One of the most heated moments occurred during the address by Left Front deputy Myriam Bregman, who not only criticized the content of the law but directly attacked the government’s economic model.

“The ruling party seeks to approve the initiative for fast looting. The Left Front remembers; the people remember, and they will recall this infamous betrayal of this model. Milei knows he was chosen by corporations for quick looting,” she asserted.

Union for the Homeland bloc head Germán Martínez sought to dismantle the ruling narrative that portrays Peronism as an obstacle to development. Martínez reminded that it was Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s government that enacted the original law in 2010, clarifying that the law was never a hindrance to responsible mining activity.

“We are in favor of protecting glaciers and periglacial areas. The 2010 law enabled mining development. We must move past false dichotomies; Peronism has done more than anyone to ensure that productive development goes hand in hand with environmental protection,” he said.

Furthermore, deputy Lucía Cámpora went further, labeling the public hearing as “shameful” and linking the reform to the demands of international credit organizations. Cámpora indicated that the true underlying agenda of the measure reflects a plan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which advocates for a triple flexibility: labor, environmental, and economic.

One of the most significant opposition votes came from seasoned deputy Miguel Ángel Pichetto from the Encuentro Federal bloc, who characterized the law pushed by Milei as a setback.

“There are no new elements (…) it opens a dangerous path for the Argentine people,” he warned.

“Water Handing Law and Mega-Minings”

The grim criticism came from Santa Cruz deputy Juan Carlos Molina, who is a priest. Molina symbolically renamed the initiative and painted a bleak picture of what lies ahead for provinces with fewer resources.

“This law should be called the ‘water handing law’ and the ‘megaminings law. The regulation will promote competition among provinces to see who hands over their glaciers first in search of economic resources,” he asserted, as quoted by Página/12.

With the voting result, the La Libertad Avanza government secured a de facto alliance with the mining provincialism and the PRO and UCR factions aligned with the interests of large extractive corporations, revealing that the protection of water resources is not on Milei’s agenda.

La entrada Milei’s Changes to Glacier Law Signal Environmental Setback in Argentina Favoring Mining se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.