Quito vs. Mining Giants

Environmental activists in Quito have a brilliant plan to save a biosphere reserve from mining giants ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌   [Image of two mountains full of green vegetation. A river divides the mountains]( {NAME}, Voters in Quito, Ecuador will soon head to the polls for a once in a lifetime opportunity to ban metallic mining in the nearby Andean Chocó forest – forever! But local organisers are up against the mighty mining lobby that’s sparing no cost to win – blanketing airwaves, television and newspapers with pro-mining disinformation. We have just weeks to raise enough to help them launch a massive door-to-door campaign to make sure all of Quito’s residents hear what’s at stake and as many voters as possible make it to the polls. If the people win, the government will no longer be able to grant mining permits or licences for metals in the area. And it will serve as a model to stop other environmental destruction, setting a huge precedent across Latin America and the world. {NAME}, together we can empower Ecuadorians to win this mining ban and save this precious area of the Andean Chocó biosphere reserve forever. Are you in? [Donate $3]( another amount]( Under Ecuador’s constitution, if citizens are able to obtain signatures from 10% of the registered voting population, the National Electoral Council is obligated to hold a binding referendum. Against all odds, the group of activists, Coalition Quito Sin Minería, got more than 200,000 signatures in support of a referendum for the mining ban – and now they have just weeks to prepare for the vote. It isn’t going to be easy. Mining companies desperate to protect their profits have such deep pockets and so much power that they've launched an all out assault across the city to spread disinformation about the supposed benefits of mining, while they hide the social and environmental impacts, and scare the public into voting no. Local organisers have a bold plan for a major door knocking and communication campaign across the entire city to raise awareness and to encourage citizens to vote in favour of the referendum. But a sophisticated ground game like this takes major resources they just don’t have. If enough of us join together, we can shift the balance of power and give the activists a real chance – will you chip in to help them win? [Donate $3]( another amount]( One of just 600 biospheres in the world, the Chocó Andino biosphere is home to 270 species of mammals, 210 reptiles, 200 birds species, and 130 amphibians. Each of its 286,000 hectares absorbs up to 250 tons of carbon, making it essential in our fight to save the world from runaway climate change. Now we have a chance to help protect this vital forest. Let’s do it. Thanks for all that you do, Alys and the Ekō team --------------------------------------------------------------- More information: [Chocó Andino de Pichincha Biosphere Reserve, Ecuador]( UNESCO. [Ecologistas dicen estar "a un paso" de la consulta por un Quito sin minería]( La Vanguardia, (in Spanish) 31 January 2023. [A la industria minera le preocupa la iniciativa ‘Quito sin Minería’ que ya tiene luz verde para su consulta]( El Universo (in Spanish), 22 February 2023.   Ekō is a worldwide movement of people like you, working together to hold corporations accountable for their actions and forge a new, sustainable path for our global economy. This email was sent to {EMAIL}. | [Unsubscribe]( Â