A window into what we’re reading at the Stimson Center’s Environmental Security Program

Argentina’s “Glacier Law” Opens Ecologically Sensitive Areas to Mining (Al-Jazeera)

Politicians in Argentina approved a bill pushed by President Javier Milei to authorize mining in ecologically sensitive areas of the nation containing nearly 17,000 glaciers and/or rock glaciers and permafrost which heavily support the country’s water security. Dubbed the “Glacier Law,” the measure is designed to leverage the vast critical mineral reserves (such as copper and lithium) found in frozen parts of the Andes mountains.

In the summer of 2025, Tehran almost reached “Day Zero” – a designation for the moment when the city’s municipal water supply was no longer able to meet basic demand through normal distribution systems. Indeed, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has repeatedly warned that the capital may need to be relocated due to the worsening water crisis.

A window into what we’re reading at the Stimson Center’s Environmental Security Program 

Energy Fallout from Iran War Signals a Global Wake-Up Call for Renewable Energy (Associated Press) 

Fighting in Iran has effectively halted oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz — a chokepoint carrying roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and LNG — triggering an energy shock that is exposing the deep vulnerabilities of fossil fuel-dependent economies. Asia has been hit hardest, while Europe and Africa face mounting pressure from rising fuel costs and inflation. The crisis has sharpened debate over the uneven global energy transition. China’s substantial renewable buildout has provided meaningful insulation from the shock, while countries like Japan and India — which prioritized fossil fuel diversification after past crises — find themselves more exposed. Vietnam’s solar capacity is saving hundreds of millions in projected import costs. Meanwhile, Bangladesh has shuttered universities to conserve electricity, and India faces a cooking gas shortage. With more than 90% of new renewable projects now cost-competitive with fossil fuels, experts argue the strategic case for domestic clean energy has never been clearer.  

A window into what we’re reading at the Stimson Center’s Environmental Security Program

As Gulf Conflict Widens, So Does Its Environmental Footprint  (Dialogue Earth)

The Conflict and Environment Observatory identified at least 120 incidents of environmental harm across 11 countries since the start of U.S. and Israelis began attacks on Iran, as both sides have made oil infrastructure, military facilities, and strategic sites primary targets. The burgeoning conflict poses nuclear, chemical, and long-term carbon risks, as strikes on refineries, tankers, and storage sites degrade air quality, contaminate water contamination, and harm marine ecosystems. And other serious catastrophes loom as the war develops. The IAEA warns that any radioactive release from strikes that target nuclear sites could require evacuating areas the size of major cities.

Recent attacks on critical infrastructure in Iran and the Persian Gulf mark a troubling escalation in the widening regional conflict. Since the U.S. and Israel launched a bombing campaign against Iran on February 28, Iran has responded with waves of missiles and drones targeting Gulf states across the region. Last weekend, both sides crossed a new threshold by striking civilian water and energy infrastructure. U.S. strikes allegedly hit a desalination plan on Iran’s Qeshm Island; Iran retaliated with a drone strike on a desalination plant in Bahrain; and Israeli airstrikes on fuel depots sent toxic smoke across Tehran.

The Pacific Institute recently updated its Water Conflict Chronology—a database of water-conflict events that began to take form in the 1980s. The recent updates include the addition of 300 new entries to the database, highlighting the alarming rise of water-related conflicts in the last few years. Despite this overwhelming evidence of a growing trend in water-related conflicts, global attention toward addressing them remains negligible.   

This year, 2019, marked a new nadir for the environment that may reflect an ominous trend in warfare: Environmentally sensitive targets are being weaponized and taken hostage. Farmland went up in flames and burning oil tankers dominated the headlines, serving as a stark reminder of conflict’s ripple effects.

It should be an excellent time to be a young Iranian: High school and college enrollments in the Islamic Republic rank near the top of Muslim-majority countries. Women have only about two children on average, compared to 6.5 in the mid-1980s. And childhood mortality is projected to approach North American levels in the next 15 years. Yet, as the recent protests show, many young Iranians feel left out. Job growth—especially for young adults—has failed to keep pace with development, while persistently high rates of inflation steadily drive up the cost of living and cut deeply into Iranians’ savings.