Ecological constitutionalism and local governance: analysis of municipal competencies and constitutional guarantees addressing climate change in Ecuador

Abstract

Introduction. Over the past two decades, Ecuador has experienced a transcendental evolution in its environmental legal framework, establishing pioneering ecological constitutionalism that reconceptualizes the State-nature relationship. This paradigmatic transformation has redefined municipal competencies and constitutional guarantees regarding climate change, generating multi-level jurisdictional tensions of significant jurisprudential relevance. Objective. To analyze the constitutional scope of Ecuadorian municipal competencies and the effectiveness of jurisdictional guarantees in protecting environmental rights against the phenomenon of climate change. Methodology. Descriptive, qualitative, and analytical.  Discussion. The Ecuadorian constitutional paradigm demonstrates a dissociation between biocentric normative innovation and its jurisdictional implementation. The dichotomy between extractive regime and environmental protection generates interinstitutional antinomies. Development of polycentric ecosystem governance is required to harmonize constitutional jurisprudence with multilevel regulatory instruments to address climate emergencies through adaptive mechanisms. Conclusion. Ecuador's juridical innovation establishes, through adaptive governance and municipal capacity-building, a biocentric framework that redefines the relationship between society and nature, fostering shared responsibility and profound cultural transformation. Area of general study: Environmental Constitutional Law. Area of specific study: Municipal Environmental Competencies and Ecological Constitutional Guarantees. Type of study: Narrative review.