A glacier-protection bill proposed by President Michelle Bachelet’s embattled government is engendering more jeers than cheers both among environmental groups and mining executives as it makes its way through the Chilean Congress. Amid much fanfare, the Bachelet administration in March presented the glacier legislation in part in response to popular pressure for a glacier law led by Greenpeace Chile and backed by pro-green politicians that have made the issue a political priority. Though Chile is home to 82% of South America’s glaciers, the country has no legislation addressing glacier protection. Rather than lauding the government move, however, green groups in particular are criticizing the Bachelet bill as an unsatisfactory compromise intended to appease the mining industry. The leader of one such group, Sara... [Log in to read more]