Argentina Proposes Glacier Law Reform Amid Business Calls for Regulatory Clarity; Mexico’s Afores Seek Legal Certainty for Infrastructure Investments

Argentina’s government has submitted to Congress a draft reform aimed at modifying the national Glacier Law (No. 26.639), citing significant shortcomings in the current regulation that have hindered economic development and created legal uncertainty. The existing law, enacted in 2010 to protect glaciers and periglacial environments, restricts infrastructure, mining, and hydrocarbon activities in these areas. After 15 years, officials argue that the law’s ambiguous interpretations have stalled productive investments and compromised provincial authority over natural resources. The reform intends to establish clearer rules that focus protection on glaciers with effective hydric functions, strengthen environmental standards, and reduce discretionary regulatory obstacles, aligning with Argentina’s Constitution, which guarantees the right to a healthy environment and provincial resource sovereignty. The proposal emphasizes enhanced provincial roles in environmental impact assessments and better coordination with the National Glacier Inventory, aiming to resolve longstanding conflicts between economic interests and environmental preservation. However, over 25 civil society groups, including Greenpeace, have voiced strong opposition, warning that the reform could weaken protections. The government is urging swift legislative action during extraordinary sessions scheduled through December.

In Mexico, the Asociación Mexicana de Afores (Amafore) has underscored the necessity of clear regulatory frameworks and legal certainty to foster investment in public-private infrastructure projects. The current federal administration rejects the traditional Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) model, intending the state to retain control over joint ventures. While not opposing this shift, Amafore warns that absent transparent, well-defined legal provisions, investor confidence will erode. Infrastructure presently accounts for about 7% of Afores’ assets, managed under debt instruments and equity partnerships, highlighted by the recent acquisition of Iberdrola power plants. Funds controlled by Afores represent 23% of Mexico’s GDP, projected to grow to nearly 50% in the coming decades, making infrastructure investment vital. Key sectors of interest include electricity, transport, ports, and airports. Lawmaker Alfonso Ramírez Cuéllar is pushing a General Infrastructure Law aimed at creating a legal environment conducive to mixed investments, potentially overcoming PPP limitations. Amafore emphasizes that future allocations to infrastructure must be economically viable and supported by robust legal certainty, given that these investments protect workers’ retirement savings.

Together, these developments in Argentina and Mexico reflect broader Latin American trends where regulatory clarity and legal frameworks are decisive for balancing environmental concerns, state control, and private sector participation in infrastructure and resource management projects.