Glaciers: The Politics of Ice. By Jorge Daniel Taillant. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. $29.95. xxiii + 334 p.; ill.; index. ISBN: 978-0-19-936725-2. 2015.

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Previous articleNext article FreeConservation BiologyGlaciers: The Politics of Ice. By Jorge Daniel Taillant. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press. $29.95. xxiii + 334 p.; ill.; index. ISBN: 978-0-19-936725-2. 2015.Santiago de la PeñaSantiago de la PeñaByrd Polar & Climate Research Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio Search for more articles by this author Byrd Polar & Climate Research Center, Ohio State University, Columbus, OhioPDFPDF PLUSFull Text Add to favoritesDownload CitationTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints Share onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditEmailQR Code SectionsMoreAt its core, Glaciers: The Politics of Ice is a recount of the events and the environmental activism work in Argentina that led to a legal and political movement culminating in the important glacier conservation law of 2010 that protects all glaciers in this Andean country. In an easy-to-follow and entertaining prose, the author describes the harmful effects that specifically industrial mining in the Andes was having on the glaciers of the region, and the steps taken to protect the glaciers legally from international conglomerates. The stories of how small changes were affecting the communities in the proximity of mining operations in the Andes is revealing, and the descriptions fit nicely into a regional context, with explanations of the impact that the disappearance of glaciers in the Andes is having on society.Although this law is certainly important and sets a precedent, there are a few personal accounts where I perceived a certain bias and maybe a bit of unconscious self-promotion, not a surprise given the role Taillant had in the movement, and the personal relationship he had with the environmental minister in the Argentinian government at the time of the enactment of the protection law. The author’s message about the damage that mining companies have done to the glaciers of Chile and Argentina is clear, and there is no doubt about the importance of the legislative work. However, Taillant does not really acknowledge the significant efforts done in other countries to protect glaciated areas. Although it is true that the Andean law explicitly protects glaciers regardless of size, in countries such as Norway, Denmark, Canada, and the United States, there is environmental legislation that has made whole glaciated regions protected reserves and national parks that not only protect the glacier itself, but also the whole ecosystem surrounding it. For instance, in Greenland, not only is mining not permitted near glaciers, the now autonomous government took away every single mining license a few years ago.The book also has the objective to introduce readers to glaciers and the science of glaciers. In a clear nod to Argentinian author Julio Cortázar, Taillant alternates the book chapters, describing in some the story of the glacier-protecting law and in others the principles of glaciers. In this last account the author fails to deliver. The descriptions are vague and there is too much missing information for it to be considered a textbook on glaciers. The specifics regarding glaciers in the Andes are the best section in these chapters, showing Taillant’s knowledge in the area, but there are too many references missing for this to be a comprehensive review of glacier science.Overall, this is a very interesting account, which could be considered from an insider’s perspective, of the environmental movement driving glacier protection in Argentina. It highlights some interesting facts about the local communities in the Andes and their relationship with glaciers and the mining companies that are threating them. I found myself wanting to get more details regarding these relationships, and the culture surrounding life in glaciated areas of the Andes. The effort made to include principles in glacier science is commendable, but ultimately makes it feel like you are reading two unfinished books instead of a more detailed one. Previous articleNext article DetailsFiguresReferencesCited by The Quarterly Review of Biology Volume 92, Number 1March 2017 Published in association with Stony Brook University Article DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1086/690861 For permission to reuse, please contact [email protected]PDF download Crossref reports no articles citing this article.