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Glacier protection laws: Potential conflicts in managing glacial hazards and adapting to climate change

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Abstract

The environmental, socioeconomic and cultural significance of glaciers has motivated several countries to regulate activities on glaciers and glacierized surroundings. However, laws written to specifically protect mountain glaciers have only recently been considered within national political agendas. Glacier Protection Laws (GPLs) originate in countries where mining has damaged glaciers and have been adopted with the aim of protecting the cryosphere from harmful activities. Here, we analyze GPLs in Argentina (approved) and Chile (under discussion) to identify potential environmental conflicts arising from law restrictions and omissions. We conclude that GPLs overlook the dynamics of glaciers and could prevent or delay actions needed to mitigate glacial hazards (e.g. artificial drainage of glacial lakes) thus placing populations at risk. Furthermore, GPL restrictions could hinder strategies (e.g. use of glacial lakes as reservoirs) to mitigate adverse impacts of climate change. Arguably, more flexible GPLs are needed to protect us from the changing cryosphere.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the RCUK-CONICYT project MR-N026462-1 “Glacial Hazards in Chile: Processes, Assessment, Mitigation, and Risk Management Strategies” and a VRIEA-PUCV project. This study was kindly supported with TanDEM-X data under DLR AO XTI_GLAC0264. David Farías acknowledge the support of Becas Chile, CONICYT. We thank Mark Carey and Alejandra Mancilla for commenting on an early draft of this work. We also thank two reviewers whose comments helped to strengthen our text.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Geografía, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile

    Pablo Iribarren Anacona

  2. Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad Austral, Edificio Pugin, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile

    Pablo Iribarren Anacona & Bruno Mazzorana

  3. Robert D. Clark Honors College, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, 97403, USA

    Josie Kinney

  4. 2618 NW Marken StreetBend, Bend, OR, 97703, USA

    Josie Kinney

  5. Instituto de Ciencias Físicas y Matemáticas, Universidad Austral, Edificio Pugin 4° piso, Campus Isla Teja, Valdivia, Chile

    Marius Schaefer

  6. Department of Geography, University of Exeter, Cornwall Campus, Penryn, Cornwall, TR10 9EZ, UK

    Stephan Harrison

  7. College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4RJ, UK

    Stephan Harrison

  8. Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, Institute of Geography, History, Politics and Psychology, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, SY23 3DB, Wales, UK

    Ryan Wilson & Neil F. Glasser

  9. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales y Conservación de la Naturaleza, Universidad de Chile, Fray Camilo Henriquez 364, Santiago of Chile, 8330207, Santiago, Chile

    Alexis Segovia

  10. Observatorio Ciudadano, Antonio Varas 428, Temuco, Chile

    Felipe Guerra

  11. Institute of Geography and Geosciences, University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, Wetterkreuz 15, 91058, Erlangen, Germany

    David Farías

  12. Reynolds International Ltd, Suite 2, Broncoed House, Broncoed Business Park, Mold, Flintshire, CH7 1HP, UK

    John M. Reynolds

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  1. Pablo Iribarren Anacona
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Correspondence to Pablo Iribarren Anacona.

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Anacona, P.I., Kinney, J., Schaefer, M. et al. Glacier protection laws: Potential conflicts in managing glacial hazards and adapting to climate change. Ambio 47, 835–845 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-018-1043-x

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