English: Butterfly in Ecuador rainforest. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Ecuadorean rainforests are home to an astonishing number of plants and animals. As one of the most diverse places on the planet, it is vital that we preserve it for as long as possible. However, the Government there are proposing to sell off large bits of it for oil.
A total of almost 8 million acres were put up for auction to oil companies, and the government is considering adding another 5. Scientists recently found 200 different mammal species in just one 6-kilometer square of the forest. How many other species not yet identified will be destroyed when Big Oil destroys the land for drilling.
The XI Round, in which explorations rights to at least 13 different blocks of rainforest are being auctioned to the oil companies, will inevitably lead to yet more destruction of Ecuador’s natural resources. The loss of biodiversity and the human rights impact make the short-term profit insupportable. Sustainable industries that depend on the rainforests, including tourism, are also threatened.
Of course, it’s not just plants and animals who call the rainforest home. Representatives from seven different indigenous nationalities consider these lands to be their ancestral property.
Ecuador has a duty to its native plants, animals, and people to protect their homes and livelihoods. If it’s sold off its destroyed for ever, never to be replaced.
Please sign a petition here.
Related articles
