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Estructura biofísica de la economía ecuatoriana: un estudio de los flujos directos de materiales

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  • María Cristina Vallejo Galárraga

    (FLACSO Sede Ecuador. Quito, Ecuador.)

Abstract

El argumento central de este trabajo es que la exploración de los flujos monetarios no es suficiente para revelar la realidad biofísica que caracteriza a la economía. En este estudio se realiza una lectura de los daños ambientales derivados de las actividades económicas combinando el estudio de ambas dimensiones, a través de un conjunto de indicadores de los flujos directos de materiales del Ecuador durante el período 1980 – 2003. Los patrones de extracción y uso de los materiales en el país durante este período se pueden resumir de la siguiente forma: en promedio cada año han ingresado a la economía alrededor de 56 millones de toneladas de materiales, de las cuales, 52,8 millones fueron extraídas del medio ambiente doméstico y 3,5 millones se originaron como importaciones. El consumo interno ha aglutinado alrededor de 41 millones de toneladas de materiales y el consumo externo (exportaciones) aproximadamente 15 millones. Esto determina un balance comercial físico negativo, que asciende a – 11,5 millones de toneladas. La riqueza de esta aplicación metodológica se puede apreciar desde diversos ángulos. Por un lado contribuye a la discusión sobre el intercambio ecológicamente desigual, tema en el cual, el Ecuador constituye un caso emblemático para el análisis, pues su intervención en el comercio mundial tiene como contraparte un menoscabo ambiental importante. Por otro lado, este trabajo confiere una visión más realista de las interacciones entre la economía y el medio ambiente, esencial para un país mega-diverso como el Ecuador. En efecto, el análisis del sistema económico como un circuito cerrado permite que se diluya su escala ambiental, y el metabolismo social es una forma de incorporar esta dimensión a la evaluación de la sostenibilidad fuerte de las economías.

Suggested Citation

  • María Cristina Vallejo Galárraga, 2006. "Estructura biofísica de la economía ecuatoriana: un estudio de los flujos directos de materiales," Revista Iberoamericana de Economía Ecológica, Red Iberoamericana de Economía Ecológica, vol. 4, pages 55-72.
    • Handle: RePEc:rib:revibe:rev4_05
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hornborg, Alf, 1998. "Towards an ecological theory of unequal exchange: articulating world system theory and ecological economics," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 127-136, April.
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