The Yasuni petition is back up and running - roll up and sign up!
YASUNÍ:
one of the
MOST BIO-DIVERSE
places and LAST pieces of
UNTOUCHED NATURE
in the world...
Home to the
LAST INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
in Ecuador living in
VOLUNTARY ISOLATION:
the
TAGAERI and
TAROMENANE.
The
National Government of Ecuador are currently deciding whether or not to exploit the oil reserves beneath the Yasuni.
Drilling will have devastating and irreversible
ENVIRONMENTAL and SOCIAL IMPACTS
destroying the home of the
non-contact indigenous people
most likely causing their death.
Exploitation of the Yasuní will cause
mass deforestation
and the further production and
burning of fossil fuels
- the two main causes of
CLIMATE CHANGE
JOIN US NOW
to make sure that this cannot happen!
The Yasuní National Park
is famous for its extraordinary and unique biodiversity
and has been recognised by UNESCO for its ecological and cultural importance. It is home to various groups of indigenous people such as the Waorani, Kichwa and Shuar, some of which live in voluntary isolation from the outside world.
However it is currently threatened by a
proposal to exploit
the oil
from the ITT reserves beneath the Yasuní park. Even the most optimistic estimates predict there to be only 11 days worth of oil in the reserves.
Extracting this oil will have huge
environmental impacts
such as the extinction of known and unknown species, oil contamination of water and soil
and a large contribution to climate change
through further oil production and extensive logging. It will also mean the final extermination of indigenous people
living in voluntary isolation through violence and disease. It would not only be a
violation of national
environmental law
but also international
human rights laws
.
The
national government
of Ecuador has stated that it is
prepared to leave the oil in the ground
in return for international compensation. While it is a bold proposal, it leaves Yasuní vulnerable to future oil exploitation. However it also has the potential to be revolutionary
— to become a principal
that could help other developing countries across the world save their national treasures
without sacrificing economic development. It also asserts the
first real solution to climate change
.
Yasuní Green Gold
campaign
calls
for internationalsupport
for the government of Ecuador to improve the proposal by committing to unconditionally conserving the Yasuní, allowing the local and indigenous people of the Yasuní to participate in the decision-making
which affects their lives and making sure no parallel agreements are made which conflict with the preservation of the Yasuni.
CLIMATE CHANGE
Preserving the Yasuní addresses the two main causes of climate change, deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels.
HUMAN RIGHTS
Exploiting the Yasuní violates national and international human rights laws. The right of indigenous people to live and choose how they live. The right to be safe, to protest and to be consulted on proposals affecting them and their ancestral lands.
POVERTY
Exploitation has been justified in Ecuador as a way to lift the country out of poverty. So far Ecuador's national debt has only risen since exploitation began and the poorest have only become poorer, losing the little that they had.
ENVIRONMENT
Drilling the oil below the Yasuní will be fatal for the immense bio-diversity of the region as has been well documented in surrounding regions where oil exploitation is already in progress. It will cause the extinction of both known and unknown species, through water and soil contamination and loss of habitat.
