One of the most ambitious proposals on the table internationally to avoid fossil fuel development, the Yasuni-ITT Initiative, which will prevent oil drilling in a highly sensitive, biodiverse and culturel area, is on the brink of falling apart. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Fander Falconi, resigned over a conflict with the president this tuesday, following other members of the Yasuni-ITT team.
 
President Correa threathened to drill oil in the Yasuni area (one of the biggest biodiverse hotspots of the world) by June 2010 if the Yasuni-ITT team would not succeed in getting the initiative in practice.
 
If President Correa starts drilling in the area, severely effect indigenous peoples lives (also those living in voluntary isolation in Yasuni), biodiversity and global climate change will be under threat. The bad stories of "’Crude” and ”Avatar” will then start in Yasuni…. and it will lead us far from 350 ppm.
 
This can’t happen: Let’s act on this and urge President Correa to defend Yasuni.  Myself and members of the 350 team in Ecuador will be at a rally in Quito tomorrow to deliver your messages to the president.
 
Mail/fax Correa today and tomorrow, 15th January, throughout the day asking him to defend Yasuni, indigenous peoples, the future of Ecuador and humankind.
 
You can mail, fax or leave a message in the folder:
 
– Fax: + 593 2 2580 714
– Email: [email protected]
– Folder online: http://www.presidencia.gov.ec/contacto.php
 
 
More information;
 
New York Times: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2010/01/12/world/AP-LT-Ecuador-Minister-Resigns.html
 
Tree Hugger: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/01/ecuador-plan-to-protect-the-amazon-gets-deadline-minister-resigns.php
 
Ecologia politica, with the pre-contract (spanish/english) of the fund: http://www.ecologiapolitica.info/ep/PNUD%20Yasuni.pdf
 
Youtube (spanish videos)
 
Roque Sevilla and President Correa
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJh-UYhXCi0
 
Roque Sevilla
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q_KrTkjtew