Pacific Spirit Marine Institute
Monday, July 30, 2007
In 1978 The Galapagos Islands were given World Heritage Site status by UNESCO. In 1985 the islands were made a ‘Biosphere Reserve’ in December of 2001 the marine reserve was expanded to 43,500 miles of ocean surrounding the islands.
UNESCO is looking at an application from Ecuador, the territory’s ruler, requesting further protection for the Galapagos.
Tourism is said to be threatening the environment of the islands. Ecuador’s President, Rafael Correa, has named the islands management as one of his nation’s top priorities.
Correa thinks there needs to be further restrictions placed on tourism and residency permits.
This leaves room for the notion that someone will be keeping an eye on Russ George’s plan to dump 80 tons of iron particles just 350 miles west of The Galapagos, into the ocean. It would seem the more eyes on this plan the better, but Correa seems to be someone that can stare down many giants at one time.
Ecuador appears to be crawling out from under a large and very thick blanket of corruption that has been covering it for a very long time.
Correa ran his Presidential bid seeking a clear mandate for ‘deep political reform’. He seems to be committed to cleaning up the government and stoking social reform. He’s been an outspoken critic of the Bush administration and said he would reject the US backed hemispheric free-trade agreement.
It bodes well for the environment of The Galapagos if Correa takes up his mission to protect it, when the administration in the US is still in a state of denial where the environment is concerned.
If compassion for people can be extrapolated to compassion for the beasts of the field and of the oceans then the fragile residents of The Galapagos can hope for some permanent protection. Correa seems to be a man that isn’t afraid to stand up for his idealism.
Labels: Carbon-credit, Correa, Environment, Frankenplankton, Galapagos, Ocean, UNESCO, carbon-trading market
© 2009, Pacific Spirit Marine Institute.
Saving The Galapagos from Frankenplankton, Tourism and Residents
