Argentina

Through modeling, video recordings, testimonies, and other investigative methods, the research group Forensic Architecture (FA) and The Guardian investigate pollution in Vaca Muerta, Argentina. Their specific investigation focuses on an intentional fire set at a building constructed to better observe the industry's expansion on Mapuche lands. This investigation is conducted in collaboration with the local Mapuche community, the activist group O11CE, and Argentinian anthropologist Jorgelina Villarreal. Additionally, the community center allowed them to monitor breaches of environmental regulations by the companies operating in the area. Vaca Muerta, part of Mapuche territory, is rich in shale oil and gas, which has been heavily exploited by fossil fuel companies such as Chevron. The Mapuche, who claim that irreversible damage has been done to their ancestral homeland, saw their community building burned down in 2013. In their investigation, FA focused on three key areas: the burning of the community building, an oil waste treatment facility, and an extraction platform where a major oil spill occurred. While the investigation is still ongoing, FA has found that the areas closest to the river, as well as the roads connecting the platform, are increasingly barren and show signs of distressed vegetation.