ANCLAS wins $292,000 award for Ecuadorean Project

The Australian National Centre for Latin American Studies (ANCLAS) has won a $292,000 grant from AusAID for work related to the Yasuni-ITT initiative of the Ecuadorian government.

This multidisciplinary project is being coordinated by Dr John Minns, Director of ANCLAS with colleagues, Dr Phil Gibbons, Fenner School of the Environment and Society, Andrew Macintosh, College of Law and Dr Doreen Montag, Visiting Fellow, ANCLAS. The activity will link ANU with Ecuadorean specialists in each of these fields via that country’s major postgraduate and research institution the Instituto de Altos Estudios Nacionales (National Institute of Higher Studies – IAEN).

The Yasuni-ITT area of rainforest is one of the most biodiverse areas of the planet and is home to two indigenous groups that live in complete voluntary isolation. The initiative aims to preserve the area by leaving 850 barrels of oil (about 20% of Ecuador’s reserves) in the ground.

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