The Yasuni Rainforest. Photo by John Minns.
A world-first project led by ANU researchers is looking at whether pristine rainforest can be preserved from oil extraction, writes SARINA TALIP. The Yasuní-ITT area of Ecuador is as perfect a piece of the Amazonian rainforest as you could find. Densely green and humid, it teems with life: from parrots to monkeys, from anteaters to orchids. The area is so rich with life that new species are constantly being discovered. But buried deep below the serene beauty of the rainforest is black gold: around 850 million barrels of oil - approximately 20 per cent of Ecuador's reserves. These natural wonders above the oil present Ecuador with an impossible dilemma - preserve a pristine environment, or get rich on what lies beneath. Ecuador relies heavily on revenue from oil and gas exports for basic government functions like health, education, roads and infrastructure.But in a world first, the Ecuadorian Government is proposing to leave the oil in the ground, in exchange for help with its economic development from richer countries.
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