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The document examines the expansion of fracking in the Vaca Muerta formation, highlighting a critical gap between national economic goals and local environmental protection. It introduces the OBSERVAR geospatial platform to map risks, such as the proximity of 3,017 wells to sensitive water and population centers. The brief finds that while Neuquén has a more structured regulatory framework than Río Negro, both provinces suffer from inadequate enforcement and a lack of transparent data, with approximately 80% of fracking wastewater remaining unaccounted for. It argues for a watershed-based approach to regulation to address cross-border contamination risks.

The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region is planning an estimated US$123.6 billion in new LNG infrastructure, primarily concentrated in Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. Mexico has the world's third-largest planned LNG export buildout at 73.6 mtpa, largely intended to export U.S. gas from the Permian Basin. Argentina is proposing the 30 mtpa Argentina GNL Terminal to export gas from the Vaca Muerta shale basin, a project described as a "carbon bomb." Brazil is pursuing the world's fourth-largest LNG import expansion at 36.5 mtpa to reduce reliance on Bolivian gas and mitigate hydropower instability during droughts. These developments risk creating stranded assets and locking the region into gas dependence, contradicting IEA recommendations that the LNG trade peak this decade to limit warming to 1.5“. The report argues that the region's abundant renewable resources offer a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuel volatility.

This case study compares the energy matrices of Colombia and Argentina, analyzing their reliance on fossil fuels versus low-carbon sources and their respective commitments to energy transition and emission reductions.

The paper examines the water-energy nexus in Argentina's Vaca Muerta region, highlighting that while shale production uses a small percentage of total water, its wastewater management poses significant pollution risks. These risks are compounded by climate change projections of decreased precipitation and increasing competition for water from agriculture and urban growth. The authors argue for an Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM) approach to replace the current fragmented provincial regulatory system.