A street-side sign in Buenos Aires expressing opposition to Argentine President Javier Milei’s effort to soften glacier protections reads: “Glaciers Free of Megamines.” (Photo by Daniel Gutman)
Buoyed by his party’s decisive win in recent congressional elections, right-wing Argentine President Javier Milei this month took his boldest step yet to roll back environmental protections in his country. On Dec. 15, Milei proposed amendments aimed at weakening a landmark 2010 law designed to protect glaciers from mining projects. The amendment proposal—though criticized by environmentalists, scientists and others—was debated and approved in joint hearings by two Senate committees in a span of 48 hours that same month. It could receive congressional floor votes as soon as February. The glacier-protection law is one of two laws seen in recent years as key accomplishments of Argentina’s environmental movement. The other—which Milei reportedly aims to pare back as well—is the 2007 native-forest protection law, enacted to curb deforestation driven by agricultural expansion. In the run-up to their enactment, both laws enjoyed strong support from... [Log in to read more]
