Argentine Association of Jurists et al v. Argentina et al

In 2026, Asociación Foro Ecologista de Paraná and Asociación Argentina de Juristas filed a lawsuit against the National Government and the provinces of Chubut, Santa Cruz, Río Negro, Neuquén, and La Pampa, in connection with several forest fire events that occurred in Patagonia. The main objective of the lawsuit is to require the defendants to adopt the necessary measures to prevent and mitigate the risk of forest fires and extreme climate events in Defendant provinces, within the framework of the development of an Interjurisdictional Climate and Wildfire Risk Management Plan. In addition, the plaintiffs request the production of technical information concerning the impact of the forest fires that occurred in Patagonia on carbon sinks, as well as an estimate of the greenhouse gas emissions resulting from these events, among other matters. Finally, they request that glaciers and the periglacial environment be recognized as rights-bearing entities, entitled to autonomous legal protection.

The lawsuit addresses the issue of forest fires in Patagonia as a matter of climate change adaptation, resulting from prolonged droughts, intense heat waves, and extreme winds, in a context characterized by a lack of public policies for adaptation and prevention. In this context, the plaintiffs emphasize the importance of protecting glaciers and water basins because of the ecosystem services they provide in relation to wildfire risk. At the same time, the lawsuit highlights the emissions generated by these events and the destruction of carbon sinks, which may affect the international commitments undertaken by the country.