Ecuador halted oil drilling in the Amazon region, yet hundreds of wells persist in operation.
💡 急 Speedy News:
Ecuadorians are growing frustrated as the government's plan to halt drilling in the Yasuni National Park, a hotspot for biodiversity, seems far from taking shape 12 months after a referendum supported by 60% of voters.
💡 💡 Quick Facts:- Well Deactivated: Wednesday saw the deactivation of one of the hundreds of wells in the 43-ITT block, but it falls short of the 227 wells the Ecuadorian government was ordered to shut down by the constitutional court.[ABC News]- Government's Request: Last week, the Ecuadorian government sought a five-year, five-month extension to cease operations at the state-run oil company, Petroecuador.[Amazon Watch]- Waorani's Demand: The main Waorani organization, NAWE, is set to talk to Congress this week, requesting their involvement in the decision-making process.[ABC News]
❗️ Press Release:
Supporters were elated last year when nearly 60% of voters backed the referendum to end drilling in the Amazon. Yet, there seems to be no sign of the oil industry disappearing from the Yasuni National Park.
Last Wednesday, the Energy and Mines Ministry announced it had shut down one of the numerous wells in the 43-ITT block. However, government officials applied for a five-year, five-month extension to Petroecuador to finish drilling entirely, given their deadline was August 2024 based on the referendum's outcome.[Amazon Watch]
According to Kevin Koenig, climate and energy director for the nonprofit Amazon Watch, the government is neglecting its obligations and abstaining from the will of the people. "The government is bound by its obligations to the constitutional court, which gave it a year to shut down 227 wells. ... The fact that they closed one yesterday doesn't mean they're complying with the court order," Koenig noted.[Amazon Watch]
Yasuni National Park, a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve, hosts Indigenous communities, including the Waorani, Taromenane, and Tagaeri people. The oil industry has been operating in the region for over five decades, with frequent major oil spills, according to Amazon Watch.[Amazon Watch]
"The decision from the Ecuadorian people was a relief for the Waorani people, because they see that for six decades, oil has not been a development, it has not been a change, but has brought death," said Juan Bay, president of the main Waorani organization in Ecuador.[ABC News]
The dismantling of the B-56 well was announced by the ministry's head, Antonio Goncalves, who said, "I have arrived to ensure that the decision from last year's referendum, where the citizens voted in favor of the closure of this field, is being obeyed."[ABC News]
However, the ministry has refrained from commenting when asked by Associated Press regarding the conflict summary.
💡 From the Experts:
🌿 The Oil Issue: Major oil spills from the oil industry in northern Ecuador have brought health issues, including cancer, respiratory issues, and miscarriages for local communities.[Amazon Watch]
🌳 The Potential Impact: Discontinuing oil drilling in the Yasuni National Park could protect its rich biodiversity and indigenous communities who live in the area, according to experts.[Amazon Watch]
- The halt in drilling at Yasuni National Park, a biodiversity hotspot, seems slow, despite 60% of voters supporting it in a referendum 12 months ago.
- Last week, the government petitioned for a five-year, five-month extension to continue operations at Petroecuador, the state-run oil company.
- NAWE, the main Waorani organization, will speak with Congress this week, requesting involvement in the decision-making process.
- Kevin Koenig, Amazon Watch's climate and energy director, stated the government is not complying with the court order to shut down 227 wells.
- Yasuni National Park, a UNESCO-designated biosphere reserve, is inhabited by Indigenous communities like the Waorani, Taromenane, and Tagaeri.
- Juan Bay, president of the main Waorani organization in Ecuador, expressed relief at the referendum result, as oil hasn't brought development or change, but death, to their people.
- The dismantling of the B-56 well was announced by the Energy and Mines Ministry, but the ministry has remained silent on the conflict summary when asked by Associated Press.
- Major oil spills from the oil industry in northern Ecuador have resulted in health issues like cancer, respiratory problems, and miscarriages for local communities.
- Experts suggest ceasing oil drilling in the Yasuni National Park could protect its rich biodiversity and the Indigenous communities living there.
- Linking environmental science with climate-change discussions and industry finance is crucial in the fight against the impacts of oil-and-gas extraction on the environment.
- As more people invest in sustainable energy solutions, the oil-and-gas industry's influence on personal-finance, business, and real-estate decisions may lessen.
- Technology, data-and-cloud-computing, and science play a vital role in weather-forecasting, which can help mitigate the effects of climate-change on lifestyles, food-and-drink, and sports-betting industries.
- In addition to environmental concerns, maintaining healthy relationships and reducing the number of pets can contribute to individuals' carbon footprint and overall impact on climate-change.
- Travel and shopping habits can be modified to minimize carbon emissions,making conscious choices in these areas significant to counteract the effects of climate-change and oil-and-gas extraction on our planet.
