Contributions to Geographic Knowledge: Jorge Daniel Taillant

Wednesday, May 1, 2013 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm EDT (GMT -04:00)

*Note change in time and room*

Glaciers ... and Human Rights?

Did you know that glaciers hold historic secrets about our climate? That they can cause Tsunamis? And that some glaciers while very very large, are completely invisible? A small glacier can provide water for hundreds of years, which makes glaciers in populated areas extremely important for long term hydrological sustainability.

Jorge Daniel Taillant, from the Center for Human Rights and Environment in Argentina, shares his work to educate communities, policy makers and mining companies, on the value of glaciers as water basin regulators, as a critical water source and reserve in arid climates. Facing increasing pressure from industry to extract minerals from sensitive glacier ecosystems, CEDHA is working to introduce educational tools, public policy and corporate guidelines to protect glaciers not only from global climate change but also from unsustainable antropogenic activity. CEDHA has led an initiative to introduce the world's first ever National Glacier Protection Law and is now focusing work on "Democratizing Glaciers".