Business scion Daniel Noboa, the 35-year-old center-right politician recently elected to serve as Ecuador’s president until May 2025, has his hands full. As if the country’s sagging economy, diminishing tax revenues, slumping foreign-exchange earnings and rising organized-crime violence aren’t enough, Noboa also must manage various high-stakes environmental issues. Noboa entered politics two years ago by winning election to the National Assembly after having worked in an international business conglomerate assembled by his father, five-time unsuccessful presidential candidate Álvaro Noboa. Then last month, he won election to serve the remainder of outgoing President Guillermo Lasso’s term. Lasso had called the snap election to avoid impeachment proceedings arising from accusations, which he denies, that he had ignored corruption in three state-owned enterprises—wrongdoing that allegedly involved his brother-in-law, Danilo Carrera. One key environmental challenge is addressing chronic delays in decision-making on... [Log in to read more]