Experts Urge Ecuador to Honor Popular Vote, Halt New Oil Drilling in Yasuní National Park

The Park plays a crucial role in regulating the climate, and its preservation will prevent millions of additional greenhouse gas emissions.

Marking the one-year anniversary of Ecuador's historic popular consultation, in which nearly 59% of more than 10 million voters chose to ban oil exploitation in Yasuní National Park, independent human rights experts have expressed deep concern over reports of new wells being drilled in the Park. They have called on the Ecuadorian Government and its affiliated businesses to urgently respect the will of the people and accelerate the transition away from fossil fuel extraction.

“The Ecuadorian nation delivered a clear message through the vote: the country should prioritize protecting the climate, the environment, and the Indigenous Peoples who rely on it, rather than continuing with an economic model based on depleting natural resources and fossil fuel extraction,” the experts emphasized.

Yasuní National Park is renowned as one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet, serving as a sanctuary for countless species and a home for Indigenous Peoples, including those in voluntary isolation who have maintained their way of life for centuries. The Park plays a crucial role in regulating the climate, and its preservation will prevent millions of additional greenhouse gas emissions. However, despite the clear mandate from the Ecuadorian population and the Constitutional Court, progress in implementing the results of the popular consultation has been slow.

“Any delay or deviation from the mandate risks undermining environmental protection and climate action efforts, jeopardizing the integrity of Ecuador's democratic processes, and threatening human rights,” the experts warned.

They stressed that, following the vote, all existing and future oil projects in Yasuní must be halted and dismantled, and the environment restored. “The future of Yasuní National Park, its inhabitants, future generations, and the global environment hinges on the actions taken today,” they said.

While acknowledging that the Amazon region block contributes 13% of the nation's crude oil production and that phasing out oil exploitation in Yasuní is complex and costly, the experts encouraged the government to fulfill its legal obligations. They urged the government to advance a just transition by finding alternative means of funding development, without circumventing the decision of the people. These alternatives are outlined in a report by the Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, following his visit to Ecuador in late 2023, as well as in an Open Letter sent to President Daniel Noboa after his election in October 2023.

The experts, who have previously engaged with the government on this issue, also called for continued dialogue with civil society and Indigenous Peoples to ensure their voices are heard and their rights are respected throughout the transition process.