Last year, we heard the fantastic news from our partners at DECOIN, that the Imbabura Provincial Court in Ecuador has ruled against a large scale copper mining, called Llurimagua in the Intag valley.
Another win for nature!
Protestors at Intag Valley
Since then, we have been expecting an appeal. In April 2024, the constitutional court refused to hear the government’s appeal against the provincial court ruling in favour of nature. The court found no grounds to reconsider the case.
This means there will be no more appeals against the ruling, and the 93 endangered species that call the reserve home can breathe a little easier.
However, even though the pressure is reduced, there are other companies interested in the large-scale copper mine. This includes the Ecuador subsidiary of Australian Hancock Prospecting. Because of this, the organisations and communities who have spent years fighting against mining in this incredibly biodiverse region can’t rest. They continue to collect data and prepare evidence in case of new legal battles.
