How 'undone science' shaped Chile's glacier protection battle
What is "undone science," and how does it affect environmental policy and regulation around the world? In a recent study published in Tapuya: Latin American Science, Technology and Society, Javiera B…
What is "undone science," and how does it affect environmental policy and regulation around the world? In a recent study published in Tapuya: Latin Am
Read Full Story at Phys.org →Why This Matters
The struggle over Chile's glaciers isn't just a local environmental dispute—it reflects a global pattern where scientific knowledge is weaponized or withheld to delay regulation. By exposing how "undone science" (deliberate gaps in research funding or data collection) shaped policy debates, this case reveals the hidden power structures that determine which environmental crises get addressed—and which don’t.
Background Context
Chile’s glaciers, critical to its water supply and climate adaptation, became a battleground between mining interests and conservationists after the 2005 formation of the country’s first glacier protection law. Yet even as glaciers shrank at alarming rates, policymakers lacked comprehensive data—partly due to industry pressure to suppress studies and partly because public research funds were funneled toward extractive industries instead of glacial monitoring.
What Happens Next
The study’s findings could embolden environmental groups to demand transparency in research funding, particularly in regions where extractive industries dominate. Watch for whether Chile’s new progressive government pushes for independent glacier inventories—or if corporate lobbying reinstates the status quo. The outcome may set precedents for how other countries balance economic growth with climate adaptation.
Bigger Picture
This case is a microcosm of a broader trend: industries funding their own "science" while undermining public research to delay regulation. From fracking in the U.S. to deforestation in the Amazon, gaps in environmental data often mask corporate influence. The fight for glaciers in Chile is a test case for whether societies can reclaim science as a public good—or cede it to those who profit from its omission.
