{"id":21344,"date":"2024-12-05T11:23:05","date_gmt":"2024-12-05T14:23:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/?p=21344"},"modified":"2026-05-15T12:24:34","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T15:24:34","slug":"chilean-glaciers-the-matter-of-urgency-of-their-protection-and-the-current-legislative-status","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/glacier-law\/chilean-glaciers-the-matter-of-urgency-of-their-protection-and-the-current-legislative-status\/","title":{"rendered":"Chilean glaciers: The matter of urgency of their protection and the current legislative status"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Over the past 20 years, glaciers and their surroundings have become an increasingly fascinating topic for both environmental and scientific organizations. These unique ecosystems, which are situated in parks or protected areas, are increasingly visited by nature lovers, tourists, mountaineers, trekking enthusiasts, and photographers, making them increasingly popular destinations. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the latest Glacier Inventory published by the General Water Authority (DGA, for its acronym in Spanish), Chile records <\/span><b>26,169 glaciers within its territory, covering an area of 21,009 km\u00b2. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These giant glaciers are essential for the ecosystems and act as a strategic reserve of freshwater. Since it owns more than 80% of the glaciers of South America, Chile stands out as a glacier country, with the urgent responsibility of guaranteeing its protection and conservation. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nevertheless, there\u2019s an evident challenge when it comes to the regulation and legal protection of glaciers and their surrounding environments in our territory. For almost 20 years, different environmental organizations have tirelessly worked to sponsor a legislative agenda that pushes forward the protection of these ecosystems by introducing bills aimed at their protection and conservation. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite these efforts, many of these bills have faced lengthy processing in Congress, while others have been shelved unsuccessfully. Next, we will analyze the progress and challenges of the legislative initiatives aimed at protecting glaciers and their surrounding environments.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16858\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16858\" class=\"wp-image-16858 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/24230248\/Calvin-San-Rafael-2015-Marcos-Cole-1024x631.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"631\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/24230248\/Calvin-San-Rafael-2015-Marcos-Cole-980x604.jpg 980w, https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/24230248\/Calvin-San-Rafael-2015-Marcos-Cole-480x296.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-16858\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Rafael glacier, Ays\u00e9n region. Photo by Marcos Cole<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>1st Bill, 2005: Bill establishing a prohibition on executing investment projects in glaciers<\/b><b><i> (Bolet\u00edn [Docket No.] 3947-12)\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Este proyecto, presentado en agosto de 2005, que tuvo su origen en la C\u00e1mara de Diputados y Diputadas, se encuentra <strong>\u201carchivado\u201d<\/strong>. Su \u00faltima actividad se registr\u00f3 en 2009, cuando se somet\u00eda a discusi\u00f3n en la Comisi\u00f3n de Recursos Naturales, Bienes Nacionales y Medio Ambiente. Finalmente, se remiti\u00f3 a archivo, lo que significa que no tuvo resultados concretos.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>2nd Bill, 2006: Bill about protection of glaciers <\/b><b><i>[Docket No. 42<\/i><\/b><b><i>05-12]<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regarding this bill, attorney <\/span><b>V\u00edctor Collao <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">points out: \u201c<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It was composed of 9 articles, whose main objectives were to grant a judicial framework to the glaciers, regulating the intervention in these and granting their protection; to amend the LBGMA [General Environmental Framework Law] regarding the SEIA [Environmental Impact Assessment System] and glaciers; to penalize any intervention that exceeds permitted limits; and to require a glacier intervention declaration for all touristic or scientific activities in these glaciers.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This bill is still being processed. In 2019, the Committee on Mining and Energy was required to issue a statement on it, and in 2021, it was referred to the Committee on the Environment and Public Property. In 2022, it was referred to the Finance Committee, without any significant progress to date. <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>3rd Bill, 2008: Bill that establishes regulations in relation to the glaciers <\/b><b><i>[Docket No. 6308-12]<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regarding this bill, attorney <\/span><b>V\u00edctor Collao<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> pointed out: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIts main objectives consists of: establishing a minimum legal framework for glaciers;<\/span><\/i><b><i> defining their status as national public property and prohibiting all activity industrial activity on them,<\/i><\/b><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> making exceptions only if authorized by a special law, without outlawing activities related to glaciers in a sustainable manner, such as research, inspection, recreational or tourism, in spite of, in any case, must have the corresponding EIA [Environmental Impact Study] and any necessary permissions; lastly, the bill establishes a transitory provision addressing the issue of activities that, at the time the law comes into force, affect or could affect glaciers; it stipulates that such activities must cease and obtain the legal authorizations from the corresponding authorities.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This bill was <\/span><b>shelved in the year 2014.<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>4th Bill, 2014: Bill for protection and preservation of glaciers <\/b><b><i>[Docket No. 9364-12]<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This bill was introduced on May 20, 2014, by the so-called <\/span><b>\u201cBancada Glaciar\u201d <\/b><b>[Glacier Caucus]<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> along with environmental organizations, under the slogan \u201cdefend our territory&#8217;s glaciers.\u201d It had the support of the former president Michelle Bachelet, who in her speech of May 21, 2014, expressed the \u201cpolitical will of the executive power to protect glaciers and their surroundings\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bill aimed at the protection and preservation of glaciers and their surroundings, regulating and prohibiting activities that may be carried out around them, all of this is established in 9 articles. <\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt specifies that the scope of application of said law shall cover the entire national territory, regardless of whether the glaciers or preserved environments are located within protected areas or not; it states that glaciers are national public property; and it lists the permitted, prohibited, and restricted activities<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u201d <\/span><\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regarding the progress of this bill, there have been several obstacles, as various amendments have been proposed, and its transfer from one commission to another has caused it to lose the spirit and momentum it once had.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2016, the bill was transferred from the Committee of the Environment and Natural Resources to the Finance Committee, where the official reports were marked as rejected. The latest progress on this bill dates back to 2018 (when it was deemed as rejected) in the Finance Committee, which is where the bill currently remains.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_17426\" style=\"width: 1171px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-17426\" class=\"wp-image-17426 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/02123653\/EFUoi3DX4AAlLEx.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1161\" height=\"684\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/02123653\/EFUoi3DX4AAlLEx.jpg 1161w, https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/02123653\/EFUoi3DX4AAlLEx-980x577.jpg 980w, https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/02123653\/EFUoi3DX4AAlLEx-480x283.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1161px, 100vw\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-17426\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Glacier Caucus, 2014.<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>5th Bill, 2018: Amends the Water Code to prevent the granting of water use rights over glaciers <\/b><b><i>[Docket No 11597-12]<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This bill consists of a single article, which establishes that:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cGlaciers are national public property; nevertheless, no water use rights shall be granted over them.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This bill was put to a vote and approved in the Chamber of Deputies, and is now in its second legislative stage in the Senate. Currently, it\u2019s in the Committee on the Environment and Public Property, where there\u2019s no progress in the matter since 2022. However, it\u2019s clear that this bill is in a more advantageous stage than its counterparts. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>*<\/strong><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Although the said bill didn\u2019t succeed, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bcn.cl\/leychile\/navegar?idNorma=1174443\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>Law <\/b><b>No. 21,435<\/b><\/a><b>\u00a0 of 2023, <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">which introduced amendments to the Water Code, provides in its <\/span><b>Article 5<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that<\/span><b> water, in any of its states, is national public property,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> whose ownership and use belong to all inhabitants of the nation. Likewise, <\/span><b>it establishes the prohibition on granting water use rights over glaciers<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, consolidating its legal protection as part of the common natural heritage.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>6th Bill, 2018: On<\/b> <b>glacier protection <\/b><b><i>[Docket No 11876-12] <\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the latest bill presented on the topic of glaciers and their protection. The Senators Isabel Allende and Guido Girardi submitted it in 2018; this bill consists of six articles, which reaffirm the status of glaciers as national public property, focusing on their conservation. Additionally, Article 2 provides the statutory definitions for \u201cglacier\u201d, \u201cperiglacial environment\u201d, and \u201cpermafrost.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The bill also outlines the activities that are prohibited on glaciers and establishes the corresponding penalties for violating its provisions. The destruction of glaciers, whether intentionally or negligently, shall be punished by minor imprisonment in its minimum to maximum degrees and a fine ranging from 100 to 1,000 UTM <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">[Unidades Tributarias Mensuales \/ <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Chilean Monthly Tax Units<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">].<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Likewise, it indicates that, upon the law\u2019s entry into force (meaning, once the law is enacted and takes effect), activities that affect or could affect glaciers must cease and obtain the necessary authorizations from the competent authorities in accordance with the law. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2018, upon being introduced, this bill was referred to the Committee on the Environment and Public Property. Therefore, the bill was submitted for analysis by the Committee on Mining and Energy, where amendments were presented that considerably delayed its progress.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In 2022, the bill was referred to the Finance Committee, after being stalled during an arduous reporting process by the Committee of Mining and Energy due to the amendments formulated. The latest status of the bill dates back to 2023.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From a legislative standpoint, it\u2019s clear that the protection and regulation of glaciers in our country have progressed quite slowly over the past 20 years. Several projects have been \u201cshelved\u201d, while others are still being debated in congressional committees, awaiting enactment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, significant progress has been made with the bill introduced in 2018. As of today, the Senate\u2019s vote is still pending on the bill that aims to declare March 21 as Chilean Glacier Day, with the objective of reaffirming and promoting the significance and necessary protection of these ice bodies in environmental matters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16952\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16952\" class=\"wp-image-16952 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/13161302\/6b88ab3b-glaciar-1-1024x683-1.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/13161302\/6b88ab3b-glaciar-1-1024x683-1.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/13161302\/6b88ab3b-glaciar-1-1024x683-1-980x654.jpeg 980w, https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/13161302\/6b88ab3b-glaciar-1-1024x683-1-480x320.jpeg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-16952\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Aerial view of Los Bronces Integrados [Mining project]. Photo by Nicole Kramm Caifal \/ Greenpeace<\/p><\/div>\n<h2><b>Current legislation about glaciers: In which legal texts are glaciers regulated and mentioned?<\/b><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Law No. 19300, On general environmental principles:<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Article 11 states the projects that will mandatorily require the submission of an environmental impact study, if they generate or present at least one of the following effects, characteristics, or circumstances:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cLocation in or near to (&#8230;), glaciers (&#8230;), susceptible to being affected by, as well as the environmental value of the territory in which it\u2019s intended to be located.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regarding this law, the provisions of <\/span><b>Article 36<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> are of particular importance, which states:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c(&#8230;) The following shall form part of the protected areas mentioned in the preceding articles: glaciers, sea beaches, marshes, among others.\u201d <\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Decree No. 40. Of the <\/b><b><i>SEIA<\/i><\/b><b> [Environmental Impact Assessment System] regulations<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Article 3 establishes that projects or activities susceptible to causing environmental impact, which must be submitted to the Environmental Impact Assessment System, are the following:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c(&#8230;) Natural water bodies, including the glaciers that are found incorporated as such in a public inventory directed by the General Water Authority (DGA).\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><b>Article 6th, titled \u201cSignificant adverse effect on renewable natural resources\u201d:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It explains that the project holder must submit an Environmental Study Impact if their project or activity generates or presents significant adverse effects on the quantity and quality of renewable natural resources, including soil, water, and glaciers.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The assessment of said impact shall always consider the magnitude of the alteration in the surface area or volume of any glacier susceptible to modification.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Article 8th, titled \u201cOn the location and environmental value of the territory&#8221;:<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It explains that the project holder must submit an Environmental Study Impact if their project or activity is located in or near populations, resources, and protected areas, priority conservation sites, protected wetlands, and glaciers susceptible to being affected; as well as the environmental value of the area where the project is to be located.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A project or activity shall be understood to be located in or near populations, resources, and protected areas, priority conservation sites, protected wetlands, glaciers, or a territory with environmental value when these are located within the area of influence of the project or activity. <\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Law No. 20,2833, On native forest\u2019s recovery and forestry development:<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Article 17, Title III of the <\/span><b>Environmental Protection Standards<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, states:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201d (\u2026) The cutting, destruction, removal, or impairment of native trees and shrubs is prohibited within 500 meters from glaciers, measured in horizontal projection in the plane\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<ul>\n<li><b>\u00a0Law No. 21,4357 Amends the Water Code<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It establishes that water, in any of its states, is a national asset for public use. Consequently, its ownership and use belong to all the nation\u2019s people. Based on the public interest, water use rights shall be established; however, the same article stipulates that they may not be established for glaciers.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Law No. 18,3624, Establishing a National System of State-Protected Wilderness Areas (SNASPE):<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Article 2 defines <\/span><b>Wilderness Area<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cNatural environments, whether terrestrial or aquatic, belonging to the State, which it protects and manages to achieve the objectives outlined for each of the management categories set forth in Article 3.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><b>Article 3: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The National System of State-Protected Wilderness Areas shall consist of the following management categories: Virgin Region Reserves, National Parks, Natural Monuments, and National Reserves.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Law No. 17,2885, On National Monuments: Nature Sanctuaries<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><b>Article 31<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> establishes:<\/span><\/p>\n<blockquote><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cNature sanctuaries are all those terrestrial or marine sites that offer special possibilities for geological, paleontological, zoological, botanical, or ecological studies and research, or that possess natural formations whose conservation is of interest to science or to the State.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It\u2019s important to note that sites declared as Nature Sanctuaries fall under the supervision and control of the Ministry of the Environment. <\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_16954\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-16954\" class=\"wp-image-16954 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/13161926\/7d6c85a3-los-bronces-integrado-%C2%A9-nicole-kramm-caifal-greenpeace-1024x683-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/13161926\/7d6c85a3-los-bronces-integrado-%C2%A9-nicole-kramm-caifal-greenpeace-1024x683-1.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/13161926\/7d6c85a3-los-bronces-integrado-%C2%A9-nicole-kramm-caifal-greenpeace-1024x683-1-980x654.jpg 980w, https:\/\/glaciareschilenoss3.s3.us-west-1.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/13161926\/7d6c85a3-los-bronces-integrado-%C2%A9-nicole-kramm-caifal-greenpeace-1024x683-1-480x320.jpg 480w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 0px) and (max-width: 480px) 480px, (min-width: 481px) and (max-width: 980px) 980px, (min-width: 981px) 1024px, 100vw\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-16954\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Los Bronces Integrado &#8211; Photo by Nicole Kramm Caifal \/ Greenpeace<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>The urgency of a dedicated glacier protection law<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As it stands, Chile lacks specific legislation to exclusively regulate and protect its glaciers. While various regulations touch upon them or offer some degree of safeguard, the absence of a comprehensive law reveals a massive gap in our environmental policy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This situation points to an alarming reality: despite the climate emergency, the vital role glaciers play in our ecosystems, and human well-being isn\u2019t being fully captured by our current public policies.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With glacial retreat accelerating and extreme weather becoming the norm, the need for robust, targeted legislation has never been more pressing. A law dedicated solely to glaciers would:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Create a clear regulatory framework<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to shield them from extractive industries and other human impacts.<\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Drive climate adaptation policies<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> by recognizing glaciers as cornerstones of national resilience. <\/span><\/li>\n<li><b>Secure the long-term conservation <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of these strategic ecosystems, which are critical for biodiversity and our freshwater supply. <\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At <\/span><b>Fundaci\u00f3n Glaciares Chilenos<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, we are calling on legislators and civil society to push for a legal framework that truly recognizes the value of glaciers and guarantees their protection.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Home to more than 80% of South America\u2019s glaciers, Chile has an undeniable duty as a custodian of these resources. We must adopt measures that reflect their importance for both current and future generations. Only through committed legislation can we ensure that glaciers remain a living source of water, biodiversity, and ecological balance for our territory.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Bibliography:<\/b><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2005:\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.camara.cl\/legislacion\/ProyectosDeLey\/tramitacion.aspx?prmID=4344&amp;prmBOLETIN=3947-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>Bolet\u00edn [Docket No.] 3947-12<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2006:\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tramitacion.senado.cl\/appsenado\/templates\/tramitacion\/index.php?boletin_ini=4205-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>Bolet\u00edn <\/i><\/b><b><i>[Docket No.] <\/i><\/b><b><i>\u00a04205-12<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2008:\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tramitacion.senado.cl\/appsenado\/templates\/tramitacion\/index.php?boletin_ini=6308-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>Bolet\u00edn <\/i><\/b><b><i>[Docket No.] <\/i><\/b><b><i>\u00a06308-12<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2014:\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tramitacion.senado.cl\/appsenado\/templates\/tramitacion\/index.php?boletin_ini=9364-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>Bolet\u00edn <\/i><\/b><b><i>[Docket No.] <\/i><\/b><b><i>\u00a09364-12<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2018:\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/tramitacion.senado.cl\/appsenado\/templates\/tramitacion\/index.php?boletin_ini=11597-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>Bolet\u00edn <\/i><\/b><b><i>[Docket No.] <\/i><\/b><b><i>\u00a011597-12<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2018:\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.camara.cl\/legislacion\/ProyectosDeLey\/tramitacion.aspx?prmID=12397&amp;prmBOLETIN=11876-12\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b><i>Bolet\u00edn <\/i><\/b><b><i>[Docket No.] <\/i><\/b><b><i>\u00a011876-12<\/i><\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Comparison of glacier protection bills and other current legal frameworks.<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/obtienearchivo.bcn.cl\/obtienearchivo?id=repositorio\/10221\/33369\/1\/Minuta_Regulaciones_Glaciares.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>LINK<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Legal Regulation of Glaciers in Chile<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Pontificia Universidad Cat\u00f3lica de Valpara\u00edso.\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/opac.pucv.cl\/pucv_txt\/txt-6500\/UCC6736_01.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>LINK<\/b><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Featured Image: Los Perros glacier, Torres del Paine National Park, Magallanes Region.<\/span><\/i> <i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Photo by: Nicol\u00e1s Vivar<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Over the past 20 years, glaciers and their surroundings have become an increasingly fascinating topic for both environmental and scientific organizations. These unique ecosystems, which are situated in parks or protected areas, are increasingly visited by nature lovers, tourists, mountaineers, trekking enthusiasts, and photographers, making them increasingly popular destinations. According to the latest Glacier Inventory [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":17421,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"googlesitekit_rrm_CAow57LVCw:productID":"","_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2631],"tags":[2742],"coauthors":[3417],"class_list":["post-21344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-glacier-law","tag-glaciers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21344"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21344\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21377,"href":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21344\/revisions\/21377"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17421"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21344"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.glaciareschilenos.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=21344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}