The role of urban green areas in Ecuador’s climate change adaptation and mitigation based on the regulatory context

• The urban green areas of the main cities of Ecuador are evaluated. • Urban green areas are considered of interest in the fight against climate change. • The indicators of urban green areas of the main Ecuadorian cities can serve as a reference. • A proposal is being put forward that could serve as a reference for other cities around the world and improve urban green areas indicators. In the future, cities will concentrate the majority of the population; however, various studies indicate that urban areas are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, a phenomenon exacerbated by anthropogenic pollution. This situation is due, in part, to the lack of adequate planning processes, which have led cities to become significant emitters of greenhouse gases (GHG). Within this framework, this research examines the role of urban green spaces (UGS) in climate change mitigation and adaptation through a global conceptual analysis and a local regulatory review, with the aim of assessing their importance in major Ecuadorian cities. The results show that, while regulations in Guayaquil establish a clearer connection between UGS and climate change mitigation and adaptation, they do not regulate in detail aspects such as their composition and distribution. In Quito, regulations require both substantive and formal adjustments to recognize SGUs as effective tools against the climate crisis. Cuenca, on the other hand, presents the greatest shortcomings, as its regulations date back 30 years and fail to address current problems. Finally, a comprehensive proposal applicable to other cities is presented to better manage the UGEs based on the regulations and the adjustments that should be considered and implemented.