Production and current expenditures: A study of CO2 emissions in Ecuador's manufacturing industry

The activities developed in industrialization processes contribute to the deterioration of the environment. In this context, global organizations generate mitigation alternatives through sustainable strategies. Thus, the main aim is to analyze the impact of manufacturing industry production in Ecuador on the environment caused by the total emissions present in the atmosphere. This research has a quantitative approach and empirical level, and the source of information was a structural survey of companies in 2020 issued by the National Institute of Statistics and Census. The methodological process was developed through the description, correlation of variables, and a multiple regression econometric model to explain the relationship between industrial production, current expenditure, and CO2 emissions. The results show that the manufacturing industry generates two million tons of polluting gases annually because of economic activity and the use of fossil fuels. The activities in which fuels are used are first boilers, then motive power, and finally transportation. This study shows a directly proportional relationship between production, current expenditure, and CO2 emissions, where an increase in production implies a greater generation of emissions and, therefore, more current expenditure. This behavior is driven by the dependence on fossil fuels and industrial use. However, it is important to note that air pollution does not depend solely on these factors.