The government of Ecuador is not complying with a court decision that orders the elimination of climate-destroying gas flares operated in the Amazon by state-owned and private oil companies.
The flares emit huge quantities of gases that contribute to global warming, causing serious consequences for human rights – right now and in the future. The failure of Ecuadorian authorities to stop harmful flaring has also created sacrifice zones for the oil industry where people breathe toxic gases daily.
Nine courageous girls, from Amazonian communities devastated by cancer and contamination, filed a lawsuit to defend the right to a healthy environment. With support from the Union of People Affected by Texaco’s Operations, the girls WON their case! The court ruled that Ecuador must stop gas flaring. Yet the number of flares has increased, and some of them operate less than 5 kilometres from populated areas.
The Ecuadorian Amazon and the rights of its inhabitants are burning. With each gas flare lit, the future burns for everybody, especially young people.
