Planning and regulatory instruments in territorial planning sustainable. Case Study: Human Settlements threatened in Latacunga lahars, Ecuador

Abstract

This study examines the integration of sustainable urban planning and disaster risk management in Latin America, focusing on the Latacunga canton in Ecuador—a region highly vulnerable to volcanic hazards from the Cotopaxi volcano. Utilizing a mixed-method approach, the research evaluates the alignment between national legislation (COOTAD, LOOTUGS) and local planning instruments: the Development and Territorial Planning Plan (PDOT) and the Land Use and Management Plan (PUGS). The methodology incorporates a qualitative normative analysis, a GIS spatial overlay intersecting official lahar hazard maps with municipal cadastral databases, and a feasibility assessment of institutional governance constraints. The spatial analysis reveals a critical implementation gap between theoretical regulatory frameworks and actual territorial occupation. Approximately 420.50 hectares of high-density, consolidated urban land and 285.10 hectares of peripheral expansion zones are directly exposed to high or very high laharic risk levels. Furthermore, weak municipal control by the local government allows informal land markets to proliferate, subdividing rural agricultural properties without basic infrastructure and severely exacerbating socioeconomic vulnerabilities. The study concludes that while Ecuador’s macro-level regulations provide comprehensive guidelines for risk-inclusive planning, their practical efficacy is strictly constrained by the technical, financial, and administrative capacities of local decentralized governments. To mitigate latent risks of large-scale anthropogenic disasters, municipal authorities must move past paper-based compliance. Future efforts must prioritize active urban enforcement, participatory governance, and strict regulation of informal real estate dynamics to foster a resilient territorial model.