Javier Eguiguren

00137001

Critical thinking essay

Module 2- CLIMATE CHANGE AND CARBON STORAGE

 What policies would you implement to curb carbon emissions in your

country?

In Ecuador, the implementation of new policies to reduce carbon emissions is a

necessity and must be carried out immediately, Ecuador is a developing and growing
country and is at the perfect time to raise awareness and take action on this issue.
Although there are goals set to help mitigate climate change, a well-functioning entry
point has not yet been established to create strategies for both short and long-term
economic transformation. (Jakob, N / d). In my opinion, the first approach that should
be carried out is in the transport sector, which has an accelerated growth in carbon
emissions, mainly due to government subsidies for gasoline, it is an important issue in
which society must create immediate awareness.

The main barriers that exist in Ecuador to be able to create policies that actually works
are several, such as the lack of legislation that exists, as mentioned before the subsidies
from the government, the lack of transparency, the divided policies, the lack of interest
towards the environment by the community or lack of information, etc. On the other
hand, there are some alternatives to solve this problem, among which we have are: the
financing of environmental policies, the dissemination of information to create
awareness that this issue requires binding policies, reform of the laws for carriers; and
one of the most important would be to implement carbon taxes, with specific issues to
reduce greenhouse emissions. (Jakob, N / a)

In my personal experience, I consider that the laws and the ways in which Ecuador
reacts to carbon emissions are really bad and even non-existent. For example. in one of my
class, we calculate the amount of CO2 that a person absorbs when they walk across the
Guayasamín tunnel in Quito, the results where stunning, a person can stay inside the
tunnel for about half an hour top, after that they can be seriously harm by the released
gases from cars.

To conclude, in our country the lack of policies to reduce the carbon emissions are
clearly. There are initiatives for what I mentioned before, which have been proven to be
not enough nor have clear bases to apply them, we must start from scratch and create a
management plan that includes carbon taxes for citizens, especially for the transport
sector, which they have many benefits but no kind of retribution towards the
environment. It is possible and there are several ways to achieve it, but a complete
reform of Ecuadorian policies is needed in order to achieve it.

Referencias
Jakob, M. (N/d). A Credible Entry Point to a Low-Carbon Economy? Obtenido de PDF:
https://www.mcc-berlin.net/fileadmin/user_upload/Jakob/Jakob_Ecuador_Climate_Ta
rgets_Credibility_ESD_2017.pdf