Pacto EcoSocial eIntercultural del Sur: Yes to Yasuní
The following is an appeal from Pacto EcoSocial eIntercultural del Sur
(Note: this is a letter in the spirit of solidarity, especially for people who live outside of Ecuador)
Spanish below – Auf Deutsch lesen hier – Lire le texte en français içi
On 20 August 2023, the people of Ecuador are called to a historic referendum: they will decide whether oil exploitation should be extended into the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest or banned there forever. In the Yasuni National Park, the region in question, there are more species of trees and shrubs on a single hectare than on the entire North American continent. The popular decision of 20 August is not only about the future: It also involves dismantling the oil infrastructure that should never have been installed in a part of the Yasuní National Park, namely in Block 43 or ITT.
Those of us who sign this letter express our respect and gratitude to the Yasunidos youth movement and to all the social groups in Ecuador who, after almost 10 years of struggle, are making this referendum possible. If the oil from this block remains in the ground, it will save our world, which is hit so hard by climate change, some 300 million tons of CO2 emissions. It will protect one of the most important biodiversity hotspots on the planet at a time of mass species extinction, as well as the lives of several indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation.
By voting yes for the conservation of Yasuní on 20 August, the people of Ecuador will set a concrete example to the world community of what it means to take responsibility for the future of our children and grandchildren, as well as for the preservation of life on this planet in general. With the suspension of oil exploitation and the dismantling of the hydrocarbon infrastructure in this region, Ecuador would be at the forefront of the fight against global ecological collapse and would demonstrate pathways of concrete action in the face of the ineffectiveness of the major climate summits.
With our signature we commit ourselves to assume our share of responsibility and to support Ecuador in making a good and sustainable life possible for all. As possible strategies, we see political and economic initiatives in our countries, crowdfunding , or horizontal partnerships to create climate justice between our cities and towns, universities, schools, trade unions, parliaments, energy and other cooperatives, ie the places where we live and work, and their counterpart s in Ecuador.
We call for the greatest possible solidarity so that the Ecuadorian people can succeed in confronting the great extractivist alliance that unites oil companies, mining companies, the government, big media, chambers of production and public opinion makers. We commit ourselves, in the spirit of the Manifesto for an Ecosocial Energy Transition from the Peoples of the South , to support all the transition actions that Ecuador and the other countries of the region will have to deploy after the victory of the YES TO YASUNI. Actions to avoid being victims of the neo-colonialism implied by the ongoing corporate energy transition, which benefits the most affluent societies in the world. We require policies that take the aspect of global justice seriouslyin their responses to global problems such as climate change and biodiversity loss. Policies that recognize that the geopolitical North is deeply indebted to former colonies and the geopolitical South, after centuries of resource transfer and exploitation of cheap labor.
We commit ourselves to work within our respective possibilities to build alternatives in the world inspired by both social and ecological justice, giving way to the decommodification of life, creating the conditions for human and non-human habitability on the planet. Alternatives that contribute to Ecuador in this effort that has local, national and global effects.
We will also accompany Ecuador in solidarity and attentively in the dismantling of the oil infrastructure already installed on the edge of the heart of Yasuní and the integral repair of the area. Finally, we commit ourselves to advocate that other countries follow Ecuador’s shining example, being willing to prioritize life over the greed of extractivist capital.
We endorse the conclusion of the letter of economists of the world for the YES TO YASUNI, underlining, “the need to work on global economic alternatives based on the recognition of common but differentiated responsibilities for climate change and the ecological debt, of which the countries of the South are the creditors”.
Climate justice now!
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Sí al Yasuní – ¡Justicia climática ya!
El 20 de agosto de 2023, el pueblo ecuatoriano está convocado a un referéndum histórico para el mundo: decidirá si la explotación petrolera debe extenderse al corazón de la selva amazónica de este país o prohibirse allí para siempre. En el Parque Nacional Yasuní, la región en cuestión, hay más especies de árboles y arbustos en una sola hectárea que en todo el continente norteamericano. La decisión popular del 20 de agosto no atañe únicamente al futuro: Implica también desmontar la infraestructura petrolera que nunca se debió instalar en una parte del parque nacional Yasuní, concretamente en el Bloque 43 o ITT.
Quienes firmamos esta carta expresamos nuestro respeto y agradecimiento al movimiento juvenil Yasunidos y a todos los grupos sociales de Ecuador que, al cabo de casi 10 años de lucha, están haciendo posible este referéndum. Si el petróleo de dicho bloque permanece en el subsuelo, se ahorrará a nuestro mundo, tan golpeado por el cambio climático, unos trescientos millones de toneladas de emisiones de CO2. Se protegerá uno de los focos de biodiversidad más importantes del planeta en un momento de extinción masiva de especies, así como la vida de varios pueblos indígenas en aislamiento voluntario.
Al votar sí por la conservación del Yasuní el 20 de agosto, la gente de Ecuador dará un ejemplo concreto a la comunidad mundial de lo que significa asumir la responsabilidad por el futuro de nuestros hijos y nietos, tanto como la preservación de la vida en el planeta en general. Con la suspensión de la explotación de petróleo y el desmantelamiento de la infraestructura hidrocarburífera en esa región, Ecuador se colocaría a la cabeza de la lucha contra el colapso ecológico global y demostraría la necesidad de acciones concretas ante la inoperancia de las grandes cumbres climáticas.
Con nuestra firma nos comprometemos a asumir nuestra parte de responsabilidad y a apoyar al Ecuador para hacer posible una buena vida sostenible para todos y todas. Como estrategias posibles, vemos iniciativas políticas y económicas de nuestros países, el crowdfunding, o asociaciones horizontales para crear justicia climática entre nuestras ciudades y pueblos, universidades, escuelas, sindicatos, parlamentos, cooperativas energéticas y de otro tipo, es decir, los lugares donde vivimos y donde trabajamos, y sus homólogos en Ecuador.
Convocamos a la mayor solidaridad posible para que el pueblo ecuatoriano logre enfrentar a la gran alianza extractivista que une a petroleras, mineras, gobierno, grandes medios de comunicación, cámaras de la producción y formadores de opinión pública. Nos comprometemos, en el espíritu del Manifiesto de los Pueblos del Sur por una Transición Energética Ecosocial, a apoyar todas las acciones de transición que deberán desplegar el Ecuador y los demás países de la región luego del triunfo del SÍ AL YASUNI. Acciones para evitar ser víctimas del neocolonialismo que implica la transición energética corporativa en curso, que beneficia a las sociedades más opulentas del mundo. Requerimos políticas que tomen en serio el aspecto de la justicia global en sus respuestas a problemas globales como el cambio climático y la pérdida de biodiversidad. Políticas que reconozcan que el Norte geopolítico está profundamente en deuda con las antiguas colonias y el Sur geopolítico, tras siglos de transferencia de recursos y explotación de mano de obra barata.
Nos comprometemos a trabajar dentro de nuestras respectivas posibilidades para construir en el mundo alternativas inspiradas en la justicia social y la justícia ecológica, dando paso a la desmercantilización de la vida, creando las condiciones para la habitabilidad en el planeta para seres humanos y no humanos. Alternativas que contribuyan con el Ecuador por este esfuerzo que tiene efectos locales, nacionales y globales.
También acompañaremos solidaria y atentamente a Ecuador en el desmantelamiento de la infraestructura petrolera ya instalada al borde del corazón del Yasuní y la reparación integral de la zona. Finalmente, nos comprometemos a abogar para que otros países sigan el brillante ejemplo de Ecuador, estando dispuestos a priorizar la vida por sobre la codicia del capital extractivista.
Hacemos nuestra la conclusión de la carta de los economistas del mundo por el SI AL YASUNI, subrayando, “la necesidad de trabajar en alternativas económicas globales basadas en el reconocimiento de las responsabilidades comunes pero diferenciadas por el cambio climatico y de la deuda ecológica, de la que los paises del Sur son los acreedores.”
¡Justicia climática ya!
(Nota: esto es una carta en el espiritu de la solidaridad, sobre todo para personas que viven fuera del Ecuador)
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Ecosocial and Intercultural Pact of the South
Oilwatch International, Global
Global Justice Now, United Kingdom
War on Want, Global
Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature, Global
350.org, Global
350.org, Global
The Oakland Institute, Global, USA
Equal Right, Global
Global Just Transition, Global
Carleton University, Canada
Political Ecology Research Collective of the South, Argentina
Kebetkache Women Development and Resource Centre, Nigeria
Daraja Press, Canada/Kenya
Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung, NYC
We the People, Nigeria
Plateforme Nationale des acteurs pour une justice climatique, Senegal
iEarthnl & Friends of Yasuni, Netherlands
Health of Mother Earth Foundation, N igeria/Africa
Oilwatch Africa
Earth Life Africa, South Africa
Human Rights Forum, India
Censat Living Water, Colombia
Training Institute for Development, Bolivia
KRuHA – people’s coalition for the right to water, National, Indonesia
Political Ecology Observatory of Venezuela
Center for Higher University Studies- Mayor University of San Simón, Bolivia
Environmental Network, Venezuela
Maje Embera Drua Indigenous Congress, Panama
Lokale Agenda 21 Biesenthal eV, Germany
The Corner House, United Kingdom
Mingas of the Image, Colombia – Ecuador
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Maristella Svampa, Conicet Researcher, Argentina
David Fig, Biowatch South Africa, South Africa
Raj Patel, University of Texas At Austin, Research Professor, USA
Raj Patel, University of Texas At Austin, Research Professor, USA
Nnimmo Bassey, HOMEF, Environmentalist, Nigeria
Ashish Kothari, Global Tapestry of Alternatives/Kalpavriksh, India
Ulrich Brand, University of Vienna, University Professor, Austria
Arturo Escobar , University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill , Professor of Anthropology emeritus
Barbara Fritz, Freie Universität Berlin, University Professor, Germany
Astrid Ulloa, National University of Colombia, Full Professor, Colombia
Jan Orbie, Ghent University, Professor, Belgium
Anuradha Mittal, The Oakland Institute, Executive Director, USA
Firoze Manji, Publisher, Canada
Marisol de la Cadena, University of California-Davis, Anthropologist
Edgardo Lander, Sociologist, Venezuela
Asad Rehman, War on Want, Executive Director, United Kingdom
Lucia Delbene, Biologist, Uruguay
John Feffer, Global Just Transition, United States
Emem Okon, Women Development Resource Centre, Nigeria
Horacio Machado Aráoz, Researcher and Professor Conicet, Argentina
Thomas Wallgren, Professor of philosophy, Finland
Mariana Fernandez, United States
Claudia Aboaf, Writer, Argentina
Liliana Buitrago, Observatory of Political Ecology of Venezuela
Ken Henshaw, We the People, Director, Nigeria
Dorothy Guerrero, Global Justice Now, Head of Policy and Advocacy, United Kingdom
Aissatou Keita, Expert Agroforestry specializing in gender and climate change, Senegal
Mary Ann Manahan, Ghent University, Doctoral assistant, Belgium
Lavinia Warnars, iEarthnl & Friends of Yasuni, Ecopreneur, Netherlands
Susann Künnecke, Studierdendenwerk Thüringen, Sachbearbeiterin, Deutschland
Salome Nduta, OWA, Africa Coordinator, Kenya
Andre Standing, Coalition for fair fisheries arrangements, Researcher, UK
Makoma LEKALAKALA, Earthlife Africa Johannesburg, Director, South Africa
Sonali Sathaye, Independent Social Scientist, Anthropologist, Teacher, India
Federico Luisetti, Philosopher, Switzerland
Federico Luisetti, Philosopher, Switzerland
Wendy van Ierschot, CEO, Netherlands
Marcelo Unkuch Shuar Arutam People External Management Morona Santiago
Breno Bringel, Rio de Janeiro State University, Researcher-professor, Brazil
Sônia Queiroz , Professor, Brazil
K Babu Rao Human Rights Forum India
Ignacio Pellón Ferreyra, Collective Action and Social Conflict Program, Argentina
Andrés Gómez , Censat Agua Viva , Researcher in the Energy and Climate Justice Area, Colombia
Mariano J. Salomone CONICET Argentina
Astrid Puentes Riaño, Climate Justice, Human Rights and Environment Consultant, Mexico
Meera Karunananthan Carleton University Lecturer Canada
Adriana Montero INCADE Director Bolivia
Muhammad Reza Sahib KRuHA Coordinator Indonesia
Eve Devillers Oakland Institute Researcher USA
Nadine Zahiruddin, United States
Meera Karunananthan Carleton University Lecturer Canada
Adriana Montero INCADE Director Bolivia
Muhammad Reza Sahib KRuHA Coordinator Indonesia
Eve Devillers Oakland Institute Researcher USA
Nadine Zahiruddin, United States
Tania Ricaldi Arévalo CESU – UMSS Responsible for the Environment and Sustainable Development Area Bolivia
Rafael Colombo Argentine Association of Environmental Lawyers Lawyer, Parliamentary Adviser – Teacher and Researcher Argentina
Ana Jaramillo Independent Writer-biologist Colombia
Ilan Zugman 350.org Environmental Manager Brazil
