Determinación de la huella ecológica como indicador de sostenibilidad en el gobierno autónomo descentralizado de la provincia de chimborazo para el desarrollo de un plan de manejo ambiental

Abstract

The aim of this graduation Project was to develop the methodological and procedural basis to implement the Ecological Footprint as a sustainability indicator in the Decentralized Autonomous Government of Chimborazo Province (GADPCH) for the development of an Environmental Management Plan. First of all, a baseline of the institution was created through on-site visits, where data on fuel consumption, electricity, services, materials (paper, plastic, cardboard and rubber), water and land use were collected. The data were processed in the Accounting Method spreadsheet, which allowed obtaining the Ecological Footprint for each type of category and the total Ecological Footprint of the institution with a value of 447.6 gha. Based on this result, a comparison between the National and Global Ecological Footprint was performed, this evidenced that the GADPCH's Ecological Footprint is lower, with a value of 0.81 gha per employee a year. Subsequently, an Environmental Management Plan was developed implementing measures to mitigate, restore and compensate for the negative environmental impacts caused by the consumption of products in the institution, the ones which were focused on the following categories: fuel, electricity, materials, water and services. For each measure carried out, a person in charge of implementation control is assigned, as well as the officer in charge of carrying it out, the execution deadline, indicators and evaluation of compliance. Finally, it is concluded that the activities carried out in the Decentralized Autonomous Government of Chimborazo Province were environmentally sustainable. Consequently, it is recommended to implement the Environmental Management Plan to maintain or reduce the Ecological Footprint of the institution.