QUITO, Feb 27, 2026 (BSS/AFP) - Ecuador's parliament approved a mining law on Thursday criticized by environmentalists for allowing extraction in an area of the Galapagos Islands, a famed archipelago with unique flora and fauna. The text allows the extraction of rock materials in an area of the Galapagos Islands, a tourist gem about 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) off the coast of Ecuador, albeit outside the boundaries of its national park. The archipelago is a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its unique flora and fauna, and is where British scientist Charles Darwin developed his theory of evolution. The law "strengthens controls and regulations on extractive activity, with the aim of combating illegal mining," the parliament, in which the government holds a majority, said in a statement. "We're going to see how the Galapagos Islands become a quarry," she said, also raising concerns about Amazonian territories and the paramos, high-altitude Andean ecosystems.

Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha February 27, 2026 06:38 UTC