ECUADORIAN GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL FOR SAVING THE YASUNI FOREST

Early day motion 2192, tabled 7 October 2008 by Colin Challen (Labour). Signed by 43 members.

That this House welcomes the proposal of the Ecuadorian government to preserve the Yasuní forest by asking the international community to pay for not exploiting the oil reserves which lie underneath it; but believes that the proposal must include an unconditional, non-reversible commitment from the Ecuadorian government to preserve Yasuní and protect the human rights of its people and must include an unlimited extension of the time given to reach agreement on how to do this and an international process led by the Ecuadorian Government, with full participation from local and indigenous groups in the region, to create a clear, coherent and fully representative proposal for securing a long-term sustainable future for Yasuní; believes that this process should work in partnership with supportive non-governmental organisations and governments, and must also include a further assurance that any financial support from governments will come through an open, democratic and accountable process, and will not involve carbon trading, World Bank funding or debt cancellation schemes, which have proved ineffective in reducing carbon dioxide emissions and damaging to local people's rights around the world; and finally considers that the proposal must include an assurance that any other projects which may have a negative impact on the area will not be allowed to go ahead.

Signatures by party: Labour 34, Liberal Democrat 5, Conservative 2, Social Democratic and Labour Party 2.