’S LEADING ROLE IN CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION By Dr. IVONNE A. BAKI, Secretatry of State for Ecuador’s Yasuni-ITT Initiative

© Fabricio Teran - Satre Comunicación Integral and [email protected].

Yasuni National Park, part of the Ecuadorian In 1972, Ecuador became an oil exporter, and Amazon rainforest, is probably the most since then, this resource has been the main source biodiverse place on the planet. Home to many of income of its national economy. Recently, large unique and endemic species, the national park, deposits of heavy crude oil have been identified almost 1 million hectares in size, was declared in the ITT (Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini) by UNESCO a “World Biosphere Reserve” oil fields, located in . These in 1989. reserves represent around 846 million barrels of heavy crude oil. Not surprisingly, the petroleum This biodiversity haven has been reported to industry’s eyes are focused on that fragile piece contain 593 species of birds, 2,274 species of land, in the hope to start extracting what of trees and bushes, 630 species of birds, 169 represents as much as 20 per cent of the proven species of mammals, 141 species of amphibians, national oil reserves. and 121 species of reptiles. There are also more than 100,000 species of insects per hectare, and Most experts and scientists agree that if Ecuador more species are constantly being discovered. decides to extract the oil from Yasuni National Far from the interference and destruction of Park, the opening of roads, the deforestation, and the civilization, it is a living laboratory where contamination associated with oil exploitation will life flourishes in a complex equilibrium with lead to the extinction of many of its unique species. nature, a magic place where new species have evolved and are still evolving. The Yasuni-ITT Initiative aims to preserve Yasuni National Park’s biodiversity by foregoing the Yasuni National Park is also home to Waorani, exploitation of petroleum in the most pristine part Kichwa and communities, as well as the of the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest. By leaving Taromenane and , two native indigenous this petroleum underground, the government of groups living in voluntary isolation to preserve Ecuador is taking a leading role in the international their ancient culture and traditions. efforts to mitigate the effects of climate change by

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avoiding the emission of approximately 1.2 billion and conservation projects, social development tons of CO2 into the atmosphere. projects in the Yasuni-ITT Initiative’s area of influence, research and development, and In exchange, the Ecuadorian government seeks projects aimed at avoiding deforestation as well the financial contribution of the international as those promoting energy efficiency. community as a gesture of co-responsibility in the fight against climate change. In 2007, when While I know that Yasuní may seem far off the project was officially launched by President and distant - after all, it is in the far reaches of Correa of Ecuador during the United Nation’s the Ecuadorian Amazon - the essence of this General Assembly, it was estimated that the Initiative carries all the way to your backyard. We exploitation of petroleum could generate as much are interconnected in more ways than we can as USD 7.2 billion over a 13 year period. The imagine, and we can and must use our resources Ecuadorian government is seeking half of that to give back to the planet a small part of what it amount from the international community in has given us.  order to preserve this delicate part of its Amazon, with the long term goal of shifting from an “extractivist” economy to an economy based on BE PART OF THE SOLUTION! the development of renewable energies. Contributions from governments, non- The contributions coming from governments, governmental organizations, private sector and private sector, and civil society to support the individuals alike can be made online to the Yasuni-ITT Initiative are deposited in a trust Yasuni-ITT Trust Fund: www.yasunisupport.org fund administered by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). A significant For more information, please visit the Yasuni-ITT portion of the fund will be invested in renewable Initiative website: www.yasuni-itt.gob.ec energy projects, while the interest produced by the fund will be allocated to reforestation Email: [email protected]

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