Ethical Consumer

Written by: ECRA Bloggers
28/01/2010 14:35 

Two years ago the Ecuador government offered to leave 850 million barrels of oil untouched, provided they could get compensation.

The rainforest in Yasuni National Park is still largely intact. It is home to the indigenous Huaorani people and several communities who live in voluntary isolation. Scientists have described Yasuni as the region with the highest biodiversity per hectare worldwide. 664 different species of trees alone have been found on a single hectar.

Germany, Spain, Belgium, France and Sweden are reported to have offered substantial payments and 15 other countries have declared an interest. For several months, the Ecuadorean government has been in negotiations with the UN Development Fund for a UN fund which was to be signed at the end of January.

Now, however, initiative is in serious danger. On 9th January, Ecuador’s President Rafael Correa announced that oil exploitation would start despite all. He is dissatisfied that the fund is not be personally managed by him and that he is to have no control over how to spend the money. The most important supporter of the inititiative in the government and the negotiating team resigned on 11th and 12th January as a result of this announcement.

Help to convince the President to stick with the initiative by emailing him.

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