A year has passed since the people of Ecuador made a courageous choice for their country and the planet, voting to leave over 700 million barrels of oil in the ground beneath Yasuní National Park in the Amazon rainforest. This landmark decision, supported by more than 60% of voters on August 20, 2023, was a resounding triumph for the global climate movement and a bold rejection of fossil fuel dependency, giving the government and state-run Petroecuador 12 months to cease all oil activities in the area, close the wells, dismantle infrastructure, and restore the area. The one-year anniversary is a reminder of what the power of the people can achieve – and also a moment that forces us to confront the failure of the government and oil industry to respect the results of direct democracy.
As the country faces economic and security crises, the oil industry and its supporters in government have been pushing hard to disregard the popular vote. Despite the clear mandate from its citizens, President Daniel Noboa’s government has made little to no progress toward fulfilling the obligations determined by the Constitutional Court to preserve the Yasuní.
Yasuní National Park, often heralded as the most biodiverse place on Earth, is home to a stunning array of wildlife and plant species, many of which are not found anywhere else. This vibrant ecosystem, located at the intersection of the Andes, the Amazon, and the Equator, is also the sacred homeland of the Waorani people and the Tagaeri and Taromenane, two of the world’s last Indigenous communities living in voluntary isolation.
In January 2024, Noboa reversed his initial stance in favor of the protection of Yasuni and put forward the possibility of a moratorium on complying with the referendum. Then in May 2024, Noboa issued an executive decree to establish a committee to oversee the implementation of the referendum and the decommissioning of the oil concession. However, the decree fails to deliver a clear action plan for the exit of the oil industry in Yasuni, and excludes Indigenous participation from its committee. It suggests, once again, that the Ecuadorian government prioritizes short-term economic gains over environmental health and human rights, as this inaction not only endangers the fragile ecosystem of Yasuní and the cultural heritage and livelihoods of its Indigenous inhabitants but also undermines the democratic will of the people.
The world is watching, and the stakes are high. The fight to keep the Yasuní alive is part of the global fight against climate change at a time when carbon emissions from fossil fuels and deforestation continue to rise, and critical tipping points teeter on the edge. We stand in solidarity with Ecuador’s Indigenous movement and demand that the Ecuadorian government fulfill its legal obligations and respect democracy. This is not just a fight for a piece of land in Ecuador; it is a battle for the health of our planet and the legacy we leave for future generations. Together, we can ensure that Yasuní remains an important concentration of biodiversity, beacon of hope and a testament to the power of collective action in the fight against climate change.
