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Green Plan for Ecuador Adopted as Policy Option for New Government |
Green Plan for Ecuador Adopted
as Policy Option for New GovernmentThe Pachamama Alliance is seeing promising results from its first steps in the creation of a Green Plan for Ecuador, including endorsement of the plan from the country’s newly elected President, Rafael Correa. After months of preparing a policy proposal for such a plan, working to put it in the public consciousness and to gain political support, the concept has really taken off. The Green Plan policy proposal captured the attention of key presidential candidates during the electoral campaign in Ecuador, paving the way for a plan to proceed for the entire country of Ecuador. The Green Plan initiative seeks to ensure sustainable development, cultural continuity, indigenous territorial rights and biodiversity conservation of the Southern Amazon region in Ecuador (Pastaza and Morona Santiago Provinces), by assembling socio-economic development options as alternatives to petroleum extraction and expansion.
In an effort to gain public visibility, Pachamama’s Ecuadorian entity, Fundacion Pachamama worked with seven other non-governmental organizations to translate the Green Plan into a public policy document elaborating a number of policy options in environment, macro economic and petroleum sectors. The policy options document became “Ciudadanizando la Política”, (Democratizing Politics) the main goal of which was to reach the presidential candidates and have them (and their political parties) include the policy options within their presidential campaign platforms (the presidential election took place in Ecuador in December).
In order to reach the political sectors, the Green Plan public policy proposal was presented through a wide array of communication media (radio, television and press). In addition, it was presented in public forums in five cities across the country, which were attended by civil society and local leaders who showed their interest and support towards the Green Plan initiative. The public proposal was presented to the main political parties and presidential candidates (Correa, Noboa, Roldós) through public events and work sessions. The overall reaction was very positive. Four political parties gave comments to the public policy proposal, expressing their interest to include it within their government plans.
The results of the initiative are promising. Most notably, newly elected president, Rafael Correa’s, government plan endorses the Green Plan policy proposal. The political support of the idea has been mentioned by several elected government officials, who, through public interviews, have expressed their commitment towards declaring a petroleum moratorium and developing new and alternative socio-economic options for the Amazon and the indigenous nationalities.
The public visibility and political support that the Green Plan has attained during these months is promising. This has opened the door to engage with organizations public and private, local, national and international to rethink development in the Amazon, and Ecuador in general. These are important first steps in a hopeful and exciting process.
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