Argentina’s Congress has approved a contentious reform to the country’s Glacier Law, a move that could allow expanded mining activity in areas previously protected as critical freshwater reserves.
The amendment modifies the landmark 2010 Glacier Law, which originally prohibited mining and exploration in glacier and periglacial regions to safeguard vital water resources. The new reform shifts authority for defining protected glacier zones from the Argentine Institute for Snow, Ice and Environmental Sciences (Ianigla) to provincial governments.
President Javier Milei, who supported the legislation, said the reform empowers provincial authorities to manage and develop their natural resources. According to Milei, the change will allow mining projects to move forward in areas “where there was nothing to protect.”
The bill had already passed Argentina’s Senate in February 2026, and approval by the lower house marked the final legislative step required for the reform to take effect.
Environmental groups, scientists and opposition lawmakers have strongly criticized the decision, warning it could weaken protections for one of the country’s most important sources of freshwater.
Opponents argue that glaciers and surrounding frozen landscapes play a critical role in supplying water to millions of people and maintaining river systems across the country. Congresswoman Natalia de la Sota warned lawmakers that weakening glacier protections could endanger Argentina’s long-term water security.
“Without water, we can’t even think about a growth and development project,” she said during congressional debates.
Supporters of the reform, however, say the mining sector has been unfairly portrayed and that the new framework still maintains protections for glaciers considered essential water reserves.
Congresswoman Nancy Picón Martínez defended the bill, saying the mining industry was being treated “as if it were a monster” and insisting that the revised law continues to safeguard glaciers.
Under the new rules, glaciers and periglacial environments will remain protected under Ianigla’s national glacier inventory until provincial governments demonstrate that specific areas do not function as “strategic” water reserves.
Argentina is home to 16,968 glaciers, which supply water to 36 river basins across 12 provinces and support approximately seven million people.
Meltwater from glaciers is especially important in semi-arid regions such as Mendoza, where it helps sustain rivers and agriculture during drought periods that are becoming more frequent due to climate change.
Governors from mineral-rich provinces including Catamarca, Jujuy, Salta, Mendoza and San Juan supported the reform, arguing that the 2010 law restricted economic development and prevented responsible mining projects that could benefit local economies.
Environmental organizations, including Greenpeace, have rejected that argument, saying all glaciers and periglacial zones play a crucial role as freshwater reservoirs.
Agostina Rossi Serra, a Greenpeace biologist, said the entire periglacial environment gradually releases water that feeds rivers and streams across Argentina.
She warned that weakening protections in these areas could have serious consequences, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where water is already scarce.