2023-06-22 07:15:00
In 60 days, Ecuadorians will go to the polls not only to elect new authorities. By popular decision, it will be defined whether or not to stop the oil exploitation of the block 43 or ITTlocated in the heart of the Ecuadorian Amazon.
This transcendental consultation – achieved by citizen initiative– It will mark a new vision of the development model that is wanted. From the 70s until today, Ecuador has positioned itself as a country oil dependent. Although its proven reserves are not expected to reach more than 2030.
But if the proposal to keep crude oil underground wins on August 20, 2023, a new pro-conservation path opens. It is known worldwide, the megadiversity that exists in the Yasuní National Park. In addition, being the home of uncontacted populations.
This bet would force the Government incoming to remove the infrastructure and close the oil wells. To this technical withdrawal are added the financial costs that you must assume Petroecuador.
He Regional Project Monitoring the Andean Amazonfor example, has shown images of two recent oil drilling rigs (Ishpingo A y B), which must be uninstalled. The second is 300 meters from the buffer zone of the Zona Intangibleaccording to this study.
The same should also happen in the Tiputini and Tambococha fields.
If the country goes down this path, the biggest challenge for the authorities will be to search near $14 billion. This amount will cease to be received for the extraction of reserves of the ITT block, for 20 years.
This would not be the first time that a country must seek resources based on the conservation of its natural wealth.
By the end of 2022, Costa Ricafor example, showed that it is possible upon receiving its first payment of USD 16.4 million for the reduction of carbon emissions. In this case, its tropical forest covers about 60% of the Central American nation.
On the other hand, if the Ecuadorians choose to maintain oil exploitation in this area, the current problems will not disappear either.
One of them is that the oil income is not distributed equitably to the provinces of the Amazon, where the crude comes from. The oil profits rather they serve to finance the debts and import more and more crude oil derivatives. In this dynamic there has been no lack of corruption scandals.
Faced with these two scenarios, the popular consultation opens the door to reflect on what development model we want for the future: extractivist or conservationist.
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