Overview
- Argentina's Chamber of Deputies approved the reform Wednesday with a 137–111 vote, completing passage after the Senate's February approval.
- The law shifts decisions over glacier and high‑Andes permafrost zones to provinces and narrows strict protection to areas proven vital for water supply, opening space for lithium, copper and silver projects.
- Thousands protested outside Congress after the vote, and police detained several activists, including seven Greenpeace members who unfurled a banner on a statue.
- Opposition lawmakers and environmental groups said they will challenge the law's constitutionality after the government limited a public hearing to 200 speakers out of more than 100,000 registrants.
- The Milei administration argues the change will unlock investment as Argentina's central bank projects mining exports could triple by 2030, while critics warn glacier retreat threatens water security for downstream communities.