PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
Ecuador (17 December 2014)

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Ecuador government on (a) environmental protection and (b) protections for environmental and indigenous activists.

Asked by:
Kerry McCarthy (Labour)

Our Embassy in Quito frequently discusses environmental protection and climate issues with the Ecuadorean government. Our Ambassador to Ecuador raised environmental protection in the Galapagos Islands and the future of the Charles Darwin research station with Ecuadorean government contacts on 2 December. Our Embassy also funds environment projects including a solar power project with the indigenous community in the Andes and a training project on sustainable tourism in the Limoncocha Reserve.

We have not made any representations on the subject of environmental activists, nor have we been asked to by any environmental activists. The importance of human rights and free contact with civil society was raised by the EU during a high level political dialogue meeting in October. Our Ambassador has also raised the importance of civil society with the Ecuadorean government in the context of our bilateral cooperation.

Answered by:
Lord Swire (Conservative)
5 January 2015