41% Of Peruvian Amazon Already Covered By Oil & Gas Leases - 600% Increase Since 2003

[hatrack]

A new study in the Environmental Research Letter finds that the Peruvian Amazon is being overrun by the oil and gas industries. According to the study 41 percent of the Peruvian Amazon is currently covered by 52 active oil and gas concessions, nearly six times as much land as was covered in 2003.

"We found that more of the Peruvian Amazon has recently been leased to oil and gas companies than at any other time on record," explained co-author Dr. Matt Finer of the Washington DC-based Save America’s Forests in a press release. The concessions even surpass the oil boom in the region during the 1970s and 80s, which resulted in extensive environmental damage.

The authors say that what's even more worrisome is that many of today's concessions infringe on state protected areas and indigenous lands. "Nearly one-fifth of the protected areas and over half of all titled indigenous lands in the Peruvian Amazon are now covered by hydrocarbon concessions," says co-author Martí Orta-Martínez of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. "And perhaps most disturbingly, we found that over 60 percent of the area proposed as reserves for indigenous peoples in voluntary isolation are covered by oil concessions. These uncontacted people are extremely vulnerable to outside illness."

Despite concerns for the environment and indigenous peoples, the boom shows no sign of slowing down. According to study the amount of area leased to oil and gas is on track to nearly double, reaching approximately 70 percent of the total Peruvian Amazon. Already, over the next five years seismic testing and well production are set to hit levels not seen since the oil boom of the 1970s.

EDIT

http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0216-hance_peruoil.html

[AlecBGreen]

1. very sad :(

So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple area, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. (John)

"The Scriptures declare, 'My Temple will be called a house of prayer,' but you have turned it into a den of thieves!" (Matthew)



Your destiny is a mystery to us. What will happen when the buffalo are all slaughtered? The wild horses tamed? What will happen when the secret corners of the forest are heavy with the scent of many men and the view of the ripe hills is blotted with talking wires? Where will the thicket be? Gone! Where will the eagle be? Gone! And what is to say goodbye to the swift pony and the hunt? The end of living and the beginning of survival.

[tom_paine]

6. I must confess, something rings untrue about the "Throwing the Moneychangers out of the Temple"

story.

Ahem...Where was Roman and or/Judean "Homeland Security?

I, mean, you think they were going to let some soft-hearted, liberal, socialist, long-haired hippie run amok in the equivalent of modern day Wall Street (or Megachurch)???

Is it possible that some do-gooder would be allowed to disrupt commerce and trade when every good Roman citizen and subject knew that commerce and trade was the lifeblood of Rome?

Not bloody likely. If I recall correctly my readings of the Bible, no Homeland Security was mentioned by that name or any other. Were they all taking the day off?

Just curious.

[AlecBGreen]

7. it took place in the temple

not the city market. fwiw, i have a feeling that any roman soldier watching a jew trash another jew's temple would probably find it pretty amusing

[FBaggins]

2. Well... the good news is...

... the rate of increase over the next seven years will be FAR lower than over the last seven. At least by 75%.

[amborin]

3. Peru has one of S. A.'s highest count of bird species, just for

starters; what a travesty!

[Triana]

4. So - we're busily destroying the very environment upon which our existence is perched

all for profit of course.

How wise is that? :-

Why isn't anyone STOPPING these maggots?

[BigBearJohn]

5. breaks my heart