18 Jan 2009

More time to Yasuni¡

Good news - another 6 months has been given to get support for the proposal, until July 2009.

On the 12th of January, only a few days after the minister for oil and
mining announced that the ITT block was now open for bids, the
Ecuadorian government seemed to have a change of heart. Instead a
further 6 months (until the July 2009) was given to the proposal to
not exploit the oil under the heart of the Yasuni in return for
international compensation.

Minister Falconí, who announced this development, said that the
Yasuni-ITT Initiative is a breaking point in the history of Ecuador
and is a symbol of the government of the Civic Revolution.

Reason for this extension seems to be due to heavy support form the
German and Norwegian governments and interest from the European
Parliament, organizations like the IDB and the World Bank and various
organizations of civil society.

However others believe that with national elections coming up in
Ecuador, this is simply a way for Correa to keep the votes of those
eager to protect the Yasuní.

Either way, the interest shown by the international community has
meant that it is now not possible to drop the proposal without
consequence. It is important that we take advantage of this and keep
pushing for a fairer proposal.

Click here to read more

You can read here some of the reactions about the "Yasuni Green Gold" book in Ecuador

To keep going with our "Yasuni Green Gold Campaign" we urgently need more funding. Please support the Campign:

* Donate
* Buy a book (and learn more about Yasuni National Park)
* Help us finding some funding. Writte us to info@yasunigreengold.org

Save Yasuni!



Ecuador: Launch of the "Yasuni Green Gold" book

PRESS RELEASE N. 001

Anita Rivas, Mayor of Francisco de Orellana
Puerto Francisco de Orellana, 12th January 2009

LAUNCH OF THE BOOK YASUNÍ GREEN GOLD, THE AMAZON FIGHT TO KEEP THE OIL IN THE GROUND.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at 6:00pm, in the Benjamín Carrión Room of the Ecuadorian Cultural Center in Quito, the launch event of the book "YASUNÍ GREEN GOLD" will take place. It will be organized by the local Government of Francisco de Orellana, as a part of the Yasuní Green Gold International Campaign (promoted by Movimiento IDUN and New Internationalist) whose aim is to restrict development in environmentally fragile areas.

The book "YASUNí GREEN GOLD" uses wonderful photographs to show the world the untold riches that the Yasuní National Park keeps, both in social and biological biodiversity. It also shows the negative impacts caused by the multinational oil companies that have been working in the Ecuadorian Amazon, where the ‘untouchable zone’ is located, and the fight of the inhabitants of this part of Ecuador against the activity of the hydrocarbons to defeat their territory and their human rights.

The authors of this book, Ginés Haro (Spanish) and Geogina Donati (British), with a clear conscience of the value of this natural treasure, were able to classify and organize many photographs from the Digital Photography Bank – property of the local Government of Francisco de Orellana and produced by Mauro Burzio. These pictures show not only the way of life of three ancient indigenous groups – the Huaorani, Kichwa Naparuna and Shuar – but also the way they protect the forest, because it represents the last refuge for the Tagaeri and Taromenane, two indigenous groups who still live in voluntary isolation today.

Anita Rivas, the mayor of Francisco de Orellana, emphasized the importance of this book, now more than ever, when the National Government has announced its decision of exploiting the Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini-ITT camp, an oil reserve that is inside the Yasuní National Park. This decision contradicts the former position of leaving the oil in ground, presented on October 2007.

Anita also appealed to the environmental institutions and many social and cultural organizations to attend this significant event for the country. This event constitutes a way of declaring oneself in favor of the conservation of one of the largest biodiversity reserves, not only in Ecuador, but in the world. Furthermore, this is an exemplary action to avoid climate change.

You can get a copy of the book in the Yasuni Green Gold shop

Social Communication Department
Ximena Narváez
Telephone 062880447 Ext. 210
Email: alcaldia.orellana@gmail.com