The president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, this past Tuesday said that the country will continue to promote the Yasuní-ITT environmental plan at the climate change summit to be conducted by United Nations (UN) in Durban (South Africa).

The president said that the initiative seeks to "beg contributions" from the international community to help preserve the Yasuni ecosystem.

In a discussion with foreign media correspondents in Quito (capital), the Ecuadorian president said that all countries must take action to offset climate change.

The summit takes place between November 28 - December 9 in South Africa. Ecuador will highlight the importance of Yasuní-ITT plan, the country is willing not to exploit an oil reserve in the Amazon in exchange for international compensation.

"We're going to Durban to present our proposal and hope everyone will understand why this plan can mark a milestone in the global energy and environmental history," said Correa.

The head of state also said that the proposal "not going to beg anyone," and explained that "the major contributor to this initiative is Ecuador". The highest expense is carried by Ecuador, which has "the main cost", the international community should not ignore the gains that Ecuador would receive from these oil reserves, and is prepaired to settle for a much lower income in favor of protecting the environment.

"We are ready to give up that well, and not only benefit us, we will keep a good resource that benefits the entire planet," he said at the same time he set a goal of raising $ 100 million until next December, which will be reinvested in social work.

In addition, Correa warned that if the governments of developed nations and large corporations do not assume their responsibility, environmental initiatives "will not succeed."

In 2007, Correa announced the Yasuni-ITT project, which proposes to stop extracting 850 million barrels of oil in the Yasuní National Park in the Amazon rainforest basin, the area has the richest concentration of biodiversity on the planet. Ecuador in exchange requests global contributions in the amount of three thousand five hundred million (3500´000.000,00) USD dollars to be invested in the development of Ecuador. This figure is only half of what would be gained by exploitation.

Ecuadorian government estimates indicate that by not burning that volume of oil, the planet would avoid the production of at least 405 million tons of carbon gas, the primary element responsible for global warming.

Other income sources that justify protecting the Yasuni National Park could be generated by tourism. Ecuador travel programs that offer visits to the Amazon rainforest are popular amongst tourists from all over the globe.  There are several Amazon travel itineraries that include visits to the Yasuni National Park. 

Source: teleSUR- Andes- Enlace ciudadano- Afp- Notimex/ lp -LD