The reform of the Glacier Law in Argentina was approved by Congress in April 2026 with the aim of easing restrictions on extractive activities, particularly mining. The new regulation amends the original 2010 law, which broadly prohibited industrial activity in glacier areas, by establishing that only glaciers with a “relevant hydrological function” will be protected and by delegating to the provinces the decision on which areas to conserve or open up to economic projects.

The reform has drawn strong criticism because it weakens mechanisms for protecting key ecosystems and is seen as a regression. Experts warn that glaciers are strategic freshwater reserves and that their lack of protection could affect the water supply of millions of people, as well as accelerate their degradation in the context of climate change. It has also been noted that the shift from a preventive system to one based on case-by-case assessments could favour extractive interests in fragile areas, increasing risks to biodiversity and water resources.

Nine Greenpeace activists were detained during protests against the reform.