The Ministry of Environment and Energy announced on March 3 the official start of developing Ecuador’s National Strategy for Sustainable Production and Consumption (ENPCS). The announcement was made during an event at the Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar, attended by over 100 representatives from government, private sector, academia, civil society, and international cooperation organizations.
The launch marks a commitment by the government to pursue economic development that balances productivity with natural resource preservation and efficient use. The ENPCS is designed to align with the Organic Environmental Code and its regulations, focusing on five pillars: sustainable production, sustainable consumption, sustainable food systems, sustainable value chains, and an enabling framework to ensure implementation.
Alicia Jaramillo, acting minister of Environment and Energy, said during her remarks that sustainability is now essential for national development. “Producir no puede significar agotar recursos, sino optimizar, innovar y regenerar,” she said. Jaramillo emphasized that ecological transition is key for Ecuadorian products to access both domestic and international markets.
The process has support from the United Nations Development Programme through the Ecuador Verde Project as well as technical assistance from international partners such as the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and Germany’s GIZ Ecoadvance Project. A symbolic moment at the event featured participants assembling a digital puzzle representing their roles in transforming unsustainable production and consumption models. The Ministry completed the puzzle with a piece symbolizing the public sector’s role.
With this initiative underway, Ecuador aims to foster transparent participation through further dialogue and collective action. According to organizers, failing to act could mean losing competitiveness and facing higher environmental costs; taking action now offers opportunities for innovation, job creation, stronger local economies, and a greener future.
