Summary
The Organic Code on the Environment of Ecuador was published on 12 April 2017. It aims to guarantee the right of people to live in a healthy and ecologically balanced environment. It also protects the rights of nature recognized in the Constitution of Ecuador. Its objectives include strict liability for environmental damages and conservation of biodiversity as a matter of public interest. The environmental principles set out in the code include the Polluter Pays principle, sustainable development, and in dubio pro natura. It also sets out administrative provisions such as those relating to permits, studies and authorizations and administrative measures that protect rights guaranteed by the constitution.