l' AGIP distrugge foreste Equadoriane

["AlessandroGimona"<agimona@libero.it>]

L' AGIP fa parte di un consorzio che sta per costruire un oleodotto il 
quale attraversera' porzioni di foresta pluviale in Equador.

Dettagli sotto
Saluti
Alessandro Gimona


Ecolological disaster in Ecuador:
  European and North American oil companies threaten one of the most
  important protected rainforests in South America with crude oil 
pipeline

  We are in strong need of your help in order to prevent an impending
  ecological disaster in Ecuador:

  A consortium of multinational companies led by Occidental Petroleum,
  Alberta Energy and Chase Manhattan Bank is proposing to build an oil
  pipeline
  through pristine cloud forests in northwestern Ecuador. This project
  would destroy unique habitat that harbors over 450 species of birds 
(5% of
  the
  world?s total), imperil a host of endangered plants and animals and
  undermine the livelihoods of local residents dependent on ecotourism.
  This would be a disaster for environment and local communities.
  Two routes have been proposed and approved by the Ecuadorian 
government
  to pump heavy crude oil from the Amazon to Ecuador?s Pacific coast. 
The
  so-called Northern route is proposed by OCP Ltd., a multinational
  consortium including Occidental Petroleum (US), Kerr-McGee Energy 
(US), Agip
  Oil
  (Italy), Alberta Energy Corporation (Canada), Repsol-YPF
  (Spain/Argentina) and Techint (Argentina). Chase Manhattan Corporation 
(US)
  is providing
  financing.The government has also approved a southern route, which 
follows
  the
  path of an existing pipeline and passes primarily through previously
  deforested
  areas, thus causing far less environmental impact.
  The northern route is estimated to cost US$ 594 million and would 
carry
  up to 350,000 barrels of crude oil per day. In contrast, the southern 
route
  will cost less - US$ 544 million - and have a higher carrying capacity
  up to 378,000 barrels per day. Moreover volcanic activity last 
occurred
  along
  the proposed northern route only two years ago when Volcán Pichincha, 
near
  Mindo, exploded causing massive destruction on the opposite side of
  Quito.

  A new pipeline is important for the economic development of Ecuador, 
but
  the same objectives can be met with far less environmental damage if 
the
  right route is chosen and proper safeguards established from the very
  outset.
  Help us, please, to spread infos on this scandal, especially in the
  press or to ! If possible, contact influential persons (politicians, 
press).
  Perhaps you could poste this pipeline problem on your homepage or in 
your
  newsletter and if it is possible in press? More information you find 
on the
  page of
  birdlife international: www.wing-wbsj.or.jp/birdlife/mindo.htm
  Ideas and hints on how to spread this news are greatly appreciated.
  Please send them to COMITÉ PRO RUTA DE MENOR IMPACTO 
(pipeline@ecnet.ec)
  or me.
  Thank you very much.
  Petra Wester


  --------------------------------
  Dipl.-Biol. Petra Wester
  Universität Osnabrück
  FB 5 / FG Ökologie
  Barbarastr. 11
  49076 Osnabrück
  FAX: 0180/505255865587
  e-mail: wester@biologie.uni-osnabrueck.de
  or PetraWester@lycos.de

Alessandro Gimona
agimona@libero.it