John,

Quito, the capital of Ecuador, could be the first city to do something incredible: end mining forever.

Community members have been collecting signatures for years. Now they’ve collected enough to force a binding public referendum to be held in August. The referendum will ask the city’s residents if they support permanently stopping mining licenses from being issued in the Andean Chocó, the city's northern forest.

If the community members win, the authorities will no longer be able to grant mining licenses.

Only people living in Quito can participate in the referendum...

But for the rest of us who want to show our support – add your name here!

Mining lobbyists are very concerned about the possible results of the referendum and have printed opinion articles full of disinformation about the benefits of mining. If the referendum bans mining licenses in the Chocó, Quito will stand as a symbol that a world without more mining is possible.

The Andean Chocó is located in the northwest of the city of Quito and it is one of the last remaining forests of the city. Its biodiversity and endemism have made the Andean Chocó worthy of the status of biosphere reserve, a designation given by UNESCO. The Chocó is one of the sources of food and water for the city of Quito and other surrounding cities. 

Annually, the Chocó removes at least 266,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the Earth’s atmosphere.  

There is a real possibility of winning. It is a golden opportunity that could set a precedent throughout Latin America and the world. But media outlets are siding with the mining lobby. Now activists are asking us to gather support and attention from around the world:

Help make Quito the first mining-free city!

It's crucial that we show international support for this initiative, and that Quito becomes the first mining-free city of many more!