Government sponsored environmentalism in Ecuador has largely been placed to the wayside in order to focus on the continued economic growth that fuels social spending. However, some avenues of sustainable development are still being pursued in certain areas of the country. One of the most prominent success stories of sustainable development in Ecuador is Quito’s new public transit system, referred to as the Trolebus system. Prior to the implementation of this new system in the late 1990’s, the public transit system in Quito was based on a large fleet of privately-owned buses. While some of these buses were licensed to operate within the city, a much larger portion were not licensed. These buses were divided into various categories that all varied on fare, number of passengers, number of stops, and the age of the bus. High levels of noise and emission pollution were common problems in Quito due to the general poor upkeep of the private buses and the sheer number of buses operating within the city. Under the new Trolebus system, many these problems have been either alleviated or wholly eliminated. The number of operating buses in Quito has been drastically reduced through consolidating the transit system into three branches that vary solely on the fare price. These bus lines are given dedicated lanes with platform stops in order to reduce traffic on Quito’s highways and roads. In order to reduce the pollution that was common under the old system, the new trolley buses utilize electric engines, with an emergency diesel engine as a backup. So far, this system was been a resounding success, cutting both pollution and costs. The revenues generated by the Trolebus system has been able to fully cover the yearly operational and maintenance costs of the whole system. The only problems that have arisen from the new system are related to overcrowding at stops and small traffic flow constrictions due to disembarking passengers. This can be solved through better city planning practices and continued expansion of bus lines. I found this explanation of the Quito transit system interesting and believe it is a step in the right direction for Ecuador when it comes to pursuing sustainable development. Public transit is an instrumental piece of sustainable urban development due to its ability to reduce the number of cars on the road. What surprised me in this article was that fact that Quito does not have any transit rail systems in place. While public buses are a good alternative to cars, light rail is superior and would allow for better connections to other cities.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ECUADOR
Following a period of economic instability, Ecuador elected two leftist presidents who placed great importance on environmental protection and sustainable development. In the early years of these presidencies, environmental and social concerns were placed at the forefront of most policy making. Ecuador’s national park system received considerable investment and greatly expanded the protected areas in the country. Resource extraction was prohibited in these new protected areas and the indigenous tribes present in many of them were given more rights when it comes to their traditional lands. One of the biggest successes of this time period was the protection of Galapagos Islands and the increased steps that the Ecuadorian state took to protect their sensitive environments. Additionally, urban development in Ecuador began to focus more on sustainable alternatives to traditional development patterns. Projects based around improved waste management, implementation of renewable energy sources, and the creation of better public transport systems became common place. Public spending for social programs also increased in order to curb the effects of growing inequality in the country. While I support these efforts to increase the sustainability of Ecuador’s economy and society, the funding behind many of these efforts is generated through the continued exploitation if Ecuador’s oil resources. This fact lessens the impact of many of these programs and successes as protected land has since been opened to resource exploitation in order to continue funding social programs. The expanded rights of the indigenous groups in these areas have also been somewhat rescinded in order to facilitate this exploitation. I understand that this is due to the fact that Ecuador cannot pursue sustainable policies and pay its large amounts of debt through the sparse generosity of other richer countries. If these better off countries wish to see sustainable development become common place in countries like Ecuador, they will need to contribute far more to these countries in term of financial support or loan forgiveness.
CLOUD FORESTS
Cloud forests are found in tropical areas at high elevations and are known for their constant covering of low altitude clouds. While sharing many characteristics of normal rainforests, cloud forests are much rarer, making up only about 1% of all forests, and the trees that make up the forest are usually very homogenous in height. There are currently 212 cloud forests within Latin America and the Caribbean. Despite their relatively small area, cloud forests play an important role in maintaining the water quality in these areas and managing their water cycles. These forests draw water out of the clouds and allow the condensed water to follow into the many streams and rivers that originate within the mountains where the forests are found. It is estimated that cloud forests are responsible for nearly a third of all water produced in these areas and are vitally important in dry periods, as their water production is relatively stable year-round. This amazing production capacity is largely due to the significant number of epiphytes, species that grow on trees without harming them, that can be found within the forests. These small plants draw significant amounts of water out of the clouds and cycle it back into the environment, along with the many nutrients the plants produce themselves. In addition to maintaining water production and quality, cloud forests limit the risks of flash flooding and serve as homes for many endemic species. Despite their benefits, cloud forests are currently threatened by land clearings for commercial farming use and logging. The roles that cloud forests play within their regional environments appear very similar to those of the coastal mangrove forests. Both are absolutely vital to maintaining the local water qualities and protecting the surrounding land from rising tides and floods. Given this importance, the protection of cloud forests should be a high priority for conservation agencies and governments for the countries that the forests are located within.
NATURAL DISASTER PREPAREDNESS IN ECUADOR
Ecuador exists on the boundary of the Nazca Plate and this makes the country very geologically active. As a result, earthquakes and volcanic activity are common threats throughout the country and must be considered for urban planning. Increasing the resilience of Ecuador’s cities and infrastructure in the face of these constant threats should be a prominent concern for the government and its various departments. Efforts have been made to promote disaster resilience, with the most common practice being the creation of drinking water conservation and storage strategies. However, as a whole, Ecuador has done very little to actively develop the new infrastructure needed to withstand these potential disasters and maintain its current systems. For example, a recent study published in the International Journal of Tourism Cities evaluated the disaster resilience of the city of Manta, one of Ecuador’s coastal tourist hotspots. This study broke down the city’s disaster resilience into ten categories, ranging from education to the availability of disaster relief in the forms of shelters and supplies. After careful analyses of the city’s current infrastructure and practices, it was concluded that Manta was severely lacking in all ten categories, even scoring zero in education on ecosystem services and the ability to market itself after recovery. Given the results of studies like these, Ecuador requires a significant increase in investment for disaster preparedness and recovery. While geological activity may present a constant danger to the country, climate change is also quickly becoming a large threat to the nation. Very little is done to strengthen coastal cities and educate the country’s population on the dangers that the shifting regional climate could cause. Improved resilience could be achieved through investment in improving the strength of Ecuador’s electrical grid, better education programs, and strengthening transportation infrastructure.
Basurto-Cedeño, Estefania & Pennington-Gray, Lori. (2016). Tourism disaster resilience scorecard for destinations (TDRSD): the case of Manta, Ecuador. International Journal of Tourism Cities. 2. 149-163. 10.1108/IJTC-01-2016-0002.
ECUADOR'S VOLCANOES
Due to Ecuador's location along the boundary of the Nazca plate, its is home to a large number of volcanoes. The majority of these volcanoes can be found within the Andes mountain range that runs throughout the country. The soil found surrounding the volcanoes is very nutrient rich, supporting large amounts of biodiversity. Many species found in these areas are endemic, being found nowhere else in the world. In addition to supporting biodiversity, Ecuador's volcanoes also supply significant amounts of fresh water to the surrounding regions due to the presence of many glaciers on their peaks. Past eruptions have also lead to the creation of many large lakes in the inactive craters of these volcanoes. The three kilometer wide lake present in the creater of Quilotoa is an example of this phenomenon.
Ecuador's many volcanoes are both a blessing and a curse for the country. While eruptions can cause severe devastation to the surrounding regions, they support a wide range of life and constantly cycle large amounts of nutrients into the environment. However, certain beneficial aspects will be threatened by increasing climate change, as the glaciers found on many of the volcanoes peaks could disappear if melting rates should increase. This would be catastrophic to the many environments that rely on the runoff to bring in fresh, clean water.