The global transition to clean energy is negatively impacting the environment in Ecuador. As demand for clean energy increases, so has the demand for Balsa Wood, an important component used to produce blades for wind turbines. This increased demand has resulted in the growth of illegal logging of Balsa Wood which has adversely affected the vegetation and ecosystems in Ecuador, the world’s largest supplier of Balsa Wood. This overexploitation which is reminiscent of the Southern American rubber boom of the 18th and 19th centuries has had a tremendous impact on the lives of the native populations inhabiting the Ecuadorian rainforest, introducing new dimensions to social issues for these previously secluded populations.
Read the article on how the wind-power boom set off a scramble for balsa wood in Ecuador