Ecological Action

Acción Ecológica is the best-known environmental organization in Ecuador, which always combines the protection of the environment with the protection of human rights. It is a very dynamic organization with an activist spirit, and a driven team with mainly strong women. Acción Ecológica is mainly known for its innovative proposals, and for the courage with which it defends them. The organization sticks its neck out around central problems for nature and man. From its foundation, the organization has supported the communities that oppose the oil extraction projects in the Amazon, and now also those that question large-scale mining. 

In the support, different strategies are always combined: training, information gathering, legal actions, campaigns, organizational strengthening, etc. Together with the affected communities, Acción Ecológica carries out actions to raise awareness and to influence policy, both in the areas where extractive projects are taking place and in the cities. Furthermore, investments are made in the protection of biodiversity, in order to protect traditional seeds, and the fight against the introduction of genetically modified crops (GMOs).  

Fight against petroleum extraction  

Acción Ecológica is the first organisation that dared to question the oil exploitation in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, because of the impact on the indigenous communities and their living environment. Together with other organisations, it founded the Oilwatch network, which mobilises worldwide against oil exploitation. Furthermore, the organisation is also one of the founders of 'Keep the Oil in the Ground', a movement that calls worldwide for fossil fuels to be left in the ground as a contribution to the fight against climate change. Acción Ecológica helped shape the start of the international campaign that proposed to financially support Ecuador in exchange for the preservation of the Yasuní nature reserve and for leaving the oil in the ground. Even when the government first adopted this innovative initiative and later abandoned it, Acción Ecológica stubbornly continued to focus on the protection of the Yasuní, together with the collective YASunidos. To raise awareness among young people and others, they organize 'toxic tours' to Amazon areas where oil extraction takes place, where the ecological impact is very visible and the exchange with local communities makes a big impression.  

YASunidos  

The 'YASunidos' is a movement of young activists that was founded to protect the Yasuni nature reserve. They campaign for a ban on petroleum extraction in Yasuni and the rest of the Amazon. In 2014, the YASunidos managed to collect more than 700.000 signatures, for the organization of a referendum on extraction in the Yasuni area. The government was obstructive from the beginning, declaring a large part of the forms and signatures invalid, in order to avoid the obligation to organize the referendum. A later recount showed that the competent state institution had acted fraudulently, and a court ruled that this violation of human rights must be compensated. Despite this recognition, the plans for exploitation in the Yasuni area continue. However, the Yasunidos continue to fight and do not give up.  

“Si a la vida, no a la minería!”  

Since Ecuador opened its doors to large-scale mining, local communities that do not agree have also sought out Acción Ecológica to support them in their actions. Now, the organization is playing a crucial role in the resistance to mining, such as in supporting the coffee farmers in Intag, or in organizing the referendum in the canton of Girón in March 2019, where residents spoke out en masse against the mining project in Kimsacocha.  

Rights of nature  

The recognition and promotion of the rights of nature is another theme in which Acción Ecológica has also taken a pioneering role. Despite the skeptical reactions and resistance, the rights of nature are a concept that offers many possibilities to protect ecosystems and respect planetary boundaries, and that is closely linked to the rights of the people who depend on these ecosystems. For example, the integrants of Acción Ecológica have contributed greatly to the inclusion of the rights of nature in the Constitution of Ecuador, a precedent on a global level. Acción Ecológica, as one of the most important references regarding the rights of nature, continues to shape these rights, through awareness-raising, development of the concept, legal actions, a truth commission on the rights of nature between 2008 and 2017, an ethical tribunal on the rights of nature, etc.  

Attempt to close  

As is often the case with true ‘change-makers’, Acción Ecológica is not exactly loved by policymakers and decision-makers. The organisation itself has been the victim of several attempts by governments to close it down. Each time, Acción Ecológica managed to thwart the closure attempt. It took legal action, but it also counted on the international solidarity of individuals and organisations from all over the world. Its international connections, resilience and perseverance eventually forced governments to abandon their attempts.