Ecuador made history
For the first time anywhere, a nation-wide referendum achieved a moratorium to stop all drilling for fossil fuel in the Yasuni National Park in the Amazon rainforest. This UN World Biosphere Reserve covers nearly a million hectares of rainforest and is one of the world’s most biodiverse places on earth.
They are also banning all mining in the Choco Andino forest, near the country’s capital, Quito.
At the heart of this decades long, hard won victory, is a coalition of indigenous peoples, youth, and activists from across the country who did so at great risk to their lives.
“Ecuador’s people have shown the world how to confront the climate crisis head-on, protecting both people and the planet using a model others can follow.”
https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/08/23/ecuadorians-vote-keep-oil-soil-amazon
https://www.oneearth.org/ecuadors-yasuni-oil-referendum-a-climate-game-changer/