Programme de bourses "Echanges Universitaires"

The energy governance in the intercultural and plurinational state of Ecuador based on the example of the Yasuní National Park
The non-extraction of crude oil in the Ishpingo-Tiputini-Tambococha (ITT) oil fields: a new approach to conservation policy?
 
Abstract

It has become evident that the policy of conservation has evolved into a major instrument in the governance of the states, at the latest since the Conference of the United Nations on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
The aim of this master thesis is to show the implications of these conservation politics, more precisely the energy governance by taking the example of Ecuador. This country possesses an extremely rich biodiversity but faces at the same time the symptomatic challenges of a developing country. For this reason it is forced to make choices in order to grow economically. As the country depends strongly on oil production, the conservation of the environment gets even more difficult due to the fact that the oilfields are frequently located in fragile ecosystems, as it is the case with the Yasuní National Park. This case will be analyzed and presented in a detailed study paper. Furthermore, this eastern region of Ecuador is the homeland of indigenous peoples. They stand under special protection and their status as minority groups should be taken into consideration. However, their interests often confront with those of the state. At this stage a third interest groups comes into play which are the environmental NGOs. This group of actors supports the indigenous peoples in their struggle for a protected, preserved and healthy environment, even if the final goal is not necessarily the same.

In June 2007 the different actors with their diverse agendas have been confronted with a new challenge: the president of Ecuador, R.Correa, presented the proposition of the non-exploitation of the Ishpingo-Tambococha-Tiputini (ITT) oilfield, situated in the heart of the Yasuní National Park. 
Considering those facts, the example of the Yasuní National Park shows an emblematic case of a dilemma where different interests and agendas oppose each other. The various discourses lead by the actors express these different points of view. The actors on their part shape the discourses in order to adapt them to their interests in such a way that every actor leads more than one discourse. The conservation policy depends thus strongly on the performance of the actors involved in the energy governance and thus on the coherence of their discourses.

Following Fontaine, the proposition presented by the Ecuadorian government falls within the logic of a “utopian environmentalism” (Fontaine 2008: 178). I will argue throughout this paper that this “utopia” should not be refused categorically basing my arguments on the following main-hypothesis: The way the ITT-proposition is presented, its realization is rather improbable due to the weak institutions. Yet, the whole discussion about it will trigger a redistribution of power-relations between the concerned actors.

By applying an actor-oriented approach placed into a framework of political ecology, I should be able to show the complex relations and interests of the involved actors within the process of energetic governance in order to contribute to a more holistic understanding of choices and discourses made by the protagonists.

Caroline Imesch
Route de Colovrex 32
1218 Le Grand-Saconnex
e-mail: imeschita@gmail.com

Research Partner
Guillaume Fontaine
Coordinador de Investigaciones
Facultad Latinoamericana de Ciencias Sociales
Calle La Pradera No. E7-174 y Av. Diego Almagro
Casilla: 17-11-06362
Quito
Ecuador
e-mail: gfontaine@flacso.org.ec