A push by the United Nations and Ecuador to protect environmentally sensitive land sitting over large oil fields has engaged Brown Lloyd James for a global PR campaign.
New York-based BLJ, which inked a $240K pact this month with the UNDP, is charged with media relations, networking, thought leadership and grassroots efforts to raise public awareness of the Yasuni-ITT Commission, a unique effort to offset the loss of oil revenues by raising money for Ecuador.
Yasuni National Park |
The land in question, formally known as Yasuni Ishpingo Tambococha Tiputini and sitting at the intersection of the Amazon Rain Forest, Andes Mountains and the Equator, is believed to have significant medical and scientific research value but also contains 20% of Ecuador’s oil reserves, a key economic engine for the country. Ecuador moved in 2007 to ban oil drilling on the tract and last year created the commission with the United Nations Development Programme to establish a trust fund to wean the country off of oil revenue.
The commission seeks to raise $3.6B for Ecuador over 13 years from government, foundation and private sources to offset to the loss of oil revenue. Industry estimates for oil revenues on the so-called ITT fields top $7 billion.
The program has raised $52.9M (including $50.8M from Italy) at last week's UN confab in New York to go toward a 2011 goal of $100M, a keybenchmark the Ecuadorian government will consider in proceeding with the plan.
"As more support pours in from the international community and its representatives at the UN, we can hope for continued success in our efforts to preserve this amazing forest and the life found within," said Ivonne Baki, Ecuador represetnative to the Yasuni-ITT Commission and former Ecuadorian Ambassador to the U.S.
According to its contract, BLJ will lead a global PR effort ranging from traditional media outreach to engaging corporate sponsors, celebrity spokespeople and goodwill ambassadors.
BLJ confirmed the work has begun to pitch the initiative worldwide.