Abstrakt
The aim of the study was to analyze how several selected individuals in Ecuador who openly embrace the sustainable develompent or buen vivir concept perceive official state policies in this regard. The following aim was to evaluate how these implemented policies correspond with principles of sustainable development or buen vivir promoted in the Constitution.
The content of semi-structured interview and participant observation records were analysed. The majority of interviewed individuals perceived the concepts of sustainable development and buen vivir as mutually compatible.
While indigenous narrators identified closer with buen vivir (biocentric perception of nature), the mestizos mostly subscribed to more anthropocentric point of view (environment as natural resources). All interviewees praised the inclusion of "Rights of nature" in the Constitution, but pointed out the inconsistency of nature'conservation with extensive exploitation of non-renewable natural resources (a discrepancy present in relevant literature as well).
The inclusion of rights of nature and sustainable development in Ecuadorian Constitution itself does not currently guarantee their enforceability in real life. I believe civic society and activity of local communities are about to play a key role in narrowing this gap between the theory and practice of sustainable development or buen vivir.
Gradual integration of those two concepts into the public awareness in Ecuador may lead to higher enforceability of existing legal proclamations, regardless the lower stage of economic development.