Ecuador is located in the northwestern part of South America and borders Colombia, Peru and the Pacific Ocean. Ecuador is highly exposed to floods and associated landslides. The country faces numerous environmental and socioeconomic challenges, such as erosion and unregulated land use, desertification, deforestation, overexploitation of resources, pollution, poverty, health problems, and high population density in the coastal and mountain regions, which make it extremely vulnerable to a changing climate. The poverty rates in Ecuador are disproportionately higher in the indigenous group: 87% for the entire ethnic group and 96% in the rural highlands, while for non-indigenous people the poverty rate is 61%. Poverty is greater in rural areas where the population has limited access to health, education, and sanitation. However, in the last decades, significant migration flows to the cities have changed the demographic dynamics of the country, increasing urban poverty rates as well.

The Ministry of the Environment (MAE) is the national institution in charge of developing and implementing climate change policies. The strategic objectives of the MAE are to conserve biodiversity, prevent contamination, maintain and improve environmental quality at the local and national levels. The National Climate Change Strategy 2012-2025 was also formulated to achieve adaptation and mitigation outcomes. The MAE also defines the rules regarding adequate environmental quality based on the conservation principles and appropriate use of biodiversity and natural resources. Ecuador ratified the Paris Agreement on September 20, 2017 and the associated Intended Nationally Determined Contribution can be found here.