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The Climate Question: Why did Ecuador vote to stop drilling for oil?

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29/10/2023 GMT

Why did Ecuador vote to stop drilling for oil?

BBC World Service - The Climate Question, Why did Ecuador vote to stop drilling for oil?

Ecuador recently voted to stop extracting oil from an important part of the Amazon

Ecuador has voted in a historic referendum to stop drilling for oil in the Amazon rainforest. The result thrilled people concerned about the climate. But not everyone’s happy.

The Yasuni National Park in Ecuador forms part of the Amazon rainforest and is one of the most bio-diverse places on the planet. 
 
It also produces 60,000 barrels of oil per day.  
 
In a recent referendum, held as part of Ecuador’s Presidential elections, people voted to stop drilling for oil – including the newly elected President Daniel Noboa. 
 
We visit the town of El Coca – the gateway to the park - where the result thrilled people who are concerned about the climate. But many, especially those whose livelihoods depend on the oil industry, feel the opposite. 
 
Presenter Sophie Eastaugh speaks to: 
Lisette Arevalo, reporter in Ecuador 
Alejandra Santillana, activist with Yasunidos group in Ecuador who campaigned for the vote 
Fernando Santos, Ecuador’s Energy & Mining Minister 
Tessa Khan, climate lawyer and cofounder of the Climate Litigation Network, UK 
Navraj Singh Ghaleigh, Senior Lecturer in climate law at Edinburgh University, UK 

Email us: theclimatequestion@bbc.com 

Presenter: Sophie Eastaugh 
Producer: Greg Brosnan 
Production co-ordinators: Sophie Hill and Jacqui Johnson 
Series Producer: Alex Lewis 
Editor: China Collins 
Sound mix: Tom Brignell

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