The Republic Constitution of Ecuador (2008) says: “The right to live in a healthy environment, ecologically equilibrated and free of pollution. The law will stablish the restrictions to exercise determined rights and liberties to protect the environment”. This gave place to norms and an institutional structure for air management. An example of this norms is the Unified Text of Secondary Environmental Legislation by the Environment Ministry. About the institutionally generated, the National Plan of Air Quality (2009) scheme the different governmental organs with competence in air management present up to date.
The following indicates the mentioned scheme starting by the national to local authorities.
NATIONAL LEVEL
Presidency of the Republic
Ministry of Cultural and Natural Heritage Coordination
Ministry of Environment (National Environmental Authority)
National Decentralized Environmental Management System
National Air Quality Committee
SECTOR LEVEL
Ministry of Social Development Coordination
Ministry of Education
Ministry of Labor
Ministry of Public Health
Ministry of Urban Development and Housing
Ministry of Strategic Sectors Coordination
Ministry of Non-Renewable Natural Resources.
Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy
Ministry of Transportation and Public Works
Ministry of Production Coordination
Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Aquaculture and Fisheries
Ministry of Industries and Competitiveness
Ministry of Electrification and Renewable Energy
Ecuadorian Social Security Institute (autonomous)
National Electricity Council (autonomous)
National Land Transportation Commission,
Traffic and Road Safety (autonomous)
National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (attached)
Fire Department (attached)
Petroecuador (autonomous)
Ecuadorian Institute for Standardization (autonomous)
Technical Secretariat of Risk Management (attached)
DECENTRALIZED AUTONOMOUS LEVEL
Provincial Governments
Prefectures
Municipal Governments
Municipalities
OTHER COMPETENT AUTHORITIES
General Contralory of the State
Office of the Ombudsman
Prosecution
Judicial Function
Ecuador Environment Ministry - National Plan of Air Quality (2010)
Anonymous, "Air quality governance in Ecuador", contributed by Ronny Rafael Zegarra Peña, STS Infrastructures, Platform for Experimental Collaborative Ethnography, last modified 16 August 2019, accessed 21 November 2024. https://stsinfrastructures.org/content/air-quality-governance-ecuador
Critical Commentary
This is an overview of the Air Quality governance levels and norms in Ecuador.