Incorporating the Environmental Dimension into Multidimensional Poverty Measurement: An Initial Proposition

Abstract: Multidimensional poverty measurement has captured the attention of policy-makers and researchers during recent years. Mexico is one of the most advanced countries in the measurement of poverty beyond income indicators. However, both in Mexico and other countries which have attempted at measuring poverty from a multidimensional perspective, the environmental dimension, has been well under-represented. Based on international evidence and, using the welfare-rights based methodological framework used in Mexico to measure multi-dimensional poverty officially, the paper proposes an indicator and six sub-indicators for measuring the lack of a minimum welfare to fulfil the right to a healthy environment through 6 sub-indicators measuring effective access, quality and continuity with regards to water, energy, biodiversity, air, spatial health, waste management and the vulnerability to poverty from climate change impacts.