The Forest Campaign Coordinator at Greenpeace is the voice against deforestation, intentional fires, and the reduction of ecosystems and the native fauna that inhabit them. A profile of an unavoidable reference when speaking about environmental struggle in the Southern Cone.
Hernán Giardini embodies the voice of native forests. For exactly 20 years, his figure has been associated with environmental defense in Argentina and the region, as the campaign coordinator on this topic for Greenpeace.
With a degree in Communication Sciences from the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) and a background in journalism, he integrated activism into his professional profile almost from the beginning. Before joining the organization, he collaborated in the communication of social movements, recovered factories, and rural and Indigenous organizations. This experience shaped his approach to territorial articulation.
His entry into Greenpeace came through a call from the public policy and research area, where he saw the opportunity to combine all his professional interests and put his communication skills at the service of activism. Since then, he has designed strategies and executed the organization’s public campaigns, acting as spokesperson before the media, companies, legislators, and governments. He also leads research efforts, coordinates campaigns with other organizations to strengthen joint actions, and works with social movements.
The Forest Law, milestones and challenges
The approval of the National Forest Law in 2007 marked a turning point in Argentina’s environmental protection. Giardini played a crucial role in this achievement. His work focused on articulation with local, rural, and Indigenous organizations. This joint effort generated pressure on the provinces and Congress, helping push the regulation toward approval.
“There were 175 stories in a month and a half… 93 were in major national and provincial media, all to make the issue known,” Giardini explains. Later, he reaffirmed his commitment to the law’s implementation, taking part in the process that led to the approval of provincial forest laws in Santiago del Estero, Salta, and Chaco.
However, the Forest Law continues to face significant challenges. Giardini and his team frequently confront the lack of political will to stop deforestation, and he continues pushing the need to modify the regulation to strengthen its enforcement. “In some provinces, there is already a contagion effect of loosening environmental issues; we see persecution, for example, of Indigenous peoples,” Giardini warns.
Deforestation in Argentina remains a pressing issue. More than half of all clearings are illegal. And Greenpeace’s monitoring efforts are constant. Under Giardini’s coordination, annual reports with concrete data are key to stopping forest loss and preventing impunity for environmental crimes.
In this way, it can be said that the impact of Hernán Giardini’s work at Greenpeace is reflected directly in concrete figures and key actions. In addition to increasing visibility of forest-related problems, he helped gather 1.5 million signatures for the Glacier Law (Law 26.639). This emblematic law, approved in 2010, established the Minimum Standards Regime for the Preservation of Glaciers and the Periglacial Environment.
This was a significant step because it also prohibited industrial activities such as mining and hydrocarbons in these areas, recognizing their fundamental role as strategic freshwater reserves.
Another milestone was the complaint filed before the Supreme Court in 2019 for illegal clearing in Chiguayante, aiming to make visible the impunity surrounding environmental crimes.
Another example showing that Giardini maintains a work philosophy centered on territorial articulation and on adapting communication to a fragmented media landscape, seeking to connect with new audiences as key actors in raising public awareness, always focused on preservation and the future.
In his view, the challenges ahead include pressure from reactionary sectors and the need for greater political will to effectively enforce existing environmental laws.
Regarding his trajectory, although the forest campaign is his main focus, Giardini’s role was also notable in the efforts surrounding the Glacier Law. In that initiative, his role included articulation with the provinces, public messaging, and preparing a report on the impact of mining activities on glaciers. Although he believes Greenpeace’s protagonism in this law was smaller than in the Forest Law, he acknowledges the importance of socio-environmental assemblies and their contributions.
Undoubtedly, within a fragmented media environment and an adverse political context, the relevance of a role with clear abilities in efficient and strategic communication is undeniable—although, of course, the challenge is greater.
A transversal perspective
Giardini is not limited to forest defense alone. He is a journalist specializing in socio-environmental and Indigenous issues. His radio career is extensive: since 1997, he has worked as producer and host on several stations. He currently coordinates Radio Piuke in Bariloche, where he also produces and hosts a news program.
In print media, he has written opinion columns on deforestation in major outlets. He was also editorial director and writer for the digital magazine Contracultural.
His audiovisual work includes directing the 2004 documentary “Journey to the Land of the Landless” and working in production roles.
His social commitment extends to collaborations with various organizations and spaces, from the Ecologist Organization Piuke to rural and cultural movements. These experiences enrich his comprehensive understanding of social and environmental issues.
The man behind the activist
For 12 years, Giardini has lived in Bariloche, Río Negro. His personal life is intertwined with his passion for nature. He is a lover of forests and mountains, where he practices trekking. Music is also part of his life, having taken percussion classes for ten years. Another passion of his is travel.
Giardini’s work from his strategic role in Greenpeace takes place in a complex context. Ninety-five percent of forest fires are of human origin. The situation of forests—aggravated by climate change and drought—requires a stronger government response focused on prevention and punishment of environmental crimes.
The risk of setbacks in environmental regulations is a concern for the future of activism. And facing this scenario, Giardini and Greenpeace aim to adapt their communication strategies, to reach specific audiences and engage those who want to work toward a better future.
Giardini confronts a complex panorama. The activist describes it bluntly: “The pandemic was not a strong enough blow to generate systemic change. It contributed to a post-pandemic individualism that makes collective action on environmental issues more difficult,” he notes. Even so, he continues his work.
Hernán Giardini dedicates his efforts to “refreshing,” “renewing the campaign,” and “telling something new” every day to adapt to the changing landscape. In this way, through perseverance and commitment, he remains a key figure in the defense of the region’s natural heritage. His work is a reminder of the need to protect what is most sacred: nature, especially forests, the lungs of the planet.
