Archipelago Shifts Its Focus to Sustainability

The Galápagos Islands in Ecuador have undergone a green transition in recent years, transforming the archipelago into a beacon of sustainability.

“We have to really engage with local communities over how they see the transition and what they feel is important,” says Soledad Garcia-Ferrari, a professor at the University of Edinburgh and a member of the Galapagos Living Lab for Energy Innovation. “There are challenges, but a lot of initiatives are on the right track. This can be an example to the rest of the world to live sustainably with minimal footprint.”

Within the Galapagos, locals banded together to create a self-sufficient region, with initiatives ranging from localized food systems, nature-based water treatment, and renewable energy sources, among others. After a surge in tourism in the 1950s, the islands saw increasing resources being imported from the Ecuadorian mainland. However, these community-led initiatives transform this once-dependent region into a sustainable and self-sufficient space. One example is locals and tourists alike eating food grown within a few kilometres rather than importing food as was done before. This more straightforward approach to living is fundamental within such a diverse region, known to have wildlife found nowhere else on the planet and home to the second-largest marine reserve in the world.