Which country’s voters have rejected oil drilling in the Amazon protected area?
Voters in Ecuador approved a referendum to stop oil drilling in a protected area of the Amazon rainforest. Environmental activists have praised this decision. Many voters supported a ban on oil production in Yasuni National Park (NP).
This NP has many animals and birds. It was named a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1989. The park is also home to various indigenous tribes.
Why was oil drilling in this area planned?
The Yasuni NP has lots of oil deposits. Ecuador’s previous President, Rafael Correa, planned to protect the area. In 2007, he asked other countries for money so that oil drilling in the area could be banned. But when the money didn't come, the government began extracting oil.
They did this to develop the country. Before the vote, the country’s people were told that banning oil would make Ecuador lose money. Still, they voted to stop it to protect the environment.
Why is it essential to save the Amazon rainforest and nature?
Scientists say that too much deforestation from oil mining and other businesses causes decreased rainfall. This can destroy the Amazon rainforest, affecting the whole world. The forest serves as a carbon sink that absorbs carbon emissions from the atmosphere.
Nature is super important. We get things like water and air from it, and it helps plants and animals live. Protecting it is very important to our planet's health and the people. If we don't take care of nature, things can go wrong.
Just look at what happened in Himachal Pradesh because of too much rain. It caused big problems like landslides and floods. Many people also died, and many had to leave their homes to be safe. This shows that if we don't take care of our environment, it can really hurt us.
