Methodological proposal for measuring sustainable development through multivariate synthetic índices

Abstract

Objectives: To establish the methodological basis for the design of a sustainable development’s global synthetic index which achieve two conditions: it fits the pressurestate-response principles and it suits the four basic components or dimensions of sustainability: institutional, environmental, economic and social. Methods: A synthetic index over the calculation of a variables, indicators and sub-indicators’ battery was constructed, these grouped on four dimensions cited to proceed to its application in Peru. The environmental indicators are mechanisms which articulate sustainability goals and its importance is how they are formulated -sectorial or integrally- in a unique and unrepeatable context to a social, administrative-territorial level. According to the form, selected information and pre-established relationships between elements considered significant to evaluate, we will obtain keys which indicate the ideal interpretation of sustainability driven by its operators. Results: A new methodological strategy was formulated to develop an index which collects related aspects to the sustainable development in Peru, through the multivariate synthetic analysis’s proposal. In this, the “institutional” dimension was identified as the weakest dimension. Conclusions: It is evident that the highest sustainability indexes could be achieved in economies and countries where their governments are developing sustainable development strategies. Also, it was amply demonstrated that there is no relationship between traditional measures of economic growth (GDP and its variation) and sustainability.