Ecuador : Indicators

There is discussion in the country around article 74 of the Ecuadorian Constitution, which states that: “Environmental services may not be appropriated; their production, provision, use and operation shall be regulated by the State”. In practice the regulation is being developed with a view to the State not only regulating operations, but also managing such services directly as the owner, and thus accessing the funds and markets for reduced emissions and carbon capture through forests.

Meanwhile, payment schemes for environmental services continue to operate, principally in local governments, and the population has not been widely informed of these. This is the case of FONAG – the Quito Water Fund - where payment for the environmental service is part of the charge for consumption of drinking water paid by every inhabitant of the Metropolitan District of Quito. These experiences will be important in the final delimitation drawn up by the state for the management of environmental services.

Finally, it is important to mention that a number of the local experiences are recognised more as funds for conservation than as Payment for Environmental Services as such.