Ecuador to Demand Commitments from Largest Polluters

Ecuador to Demand Commitments from Largest PollutersQuito, Nov 26. -Ecuador plans to hold the world''s major polluters responsible at the upcoming climate change summit in Cancun, Heritage Minister Maria Fernanda Espinosa announced.

The proposals Ecuador will bring to this meeting of 194 countries take into account the responsibility and environmental debt those nations have to the world, she said.

At the Summit, Espinosa announced, a Yasuni ITT initiative will be promoted by which Ecuador leaves 20 percent of its proven reserves of oil without exploiting in this Biosphere Reserve, in exchange for international economic compensation.

The Yasuni ITT is about 846 million barrels of crude oil that will not be exploited from the largest National Park of Ecuador in exchange for halve of what the country would exploit, about 3.6 billion dollars in 13 years.

Ecuador will promote its Yasuni ITT Initiative, which proposes not to exploit 20 percent of its known reserves of oil in the Yasuni Biosphere Reserve, in exchange for international economic compensation.

Considering that Ecuador is not responsible for reducing CO2 emissions because it is not one of the largest polluters, this proposal demonstrates its commitment to the environment and the world.

Ecuador and other member states of the G77 will seek to intensify effective implementation and fulfillment of the Kyoto Protocol, as well as further commitments by developed countries to reduce emissions. (Prensa Latina)