Author(s)

E. MARÍN-MONROY & J. URCIAGA-GARCÍA

Abstract

Poverty is a complex social problem that directly affects the sustainable management of many ecosystems in Mexico. Baja California Sur has focused its economic and demographic development o n the coastal zone. This offers benefits, principally material and cultural, through ecosystem services that must be valued to promote conservation. It is currently recognized that marginal communities greatly depend on natural resources. This study diagnoses poverty and the effect that certain ecosystem services have on improving income distribution in some localities. A methodology for measuring multidimensional poverty through a disaggregated index was adopted. This study sets out a new future focus on multidimensional measuring that uses, in addition to income, dimensions or variables that influence the well-being of the population. Finally, Gini coefficients were obtained to measure inequality. Smaller communities dependent on ecosystem services had a higher poverty level, while ecosystems had a positive effect on improving the distribution of wealth. These services encourage sustainable development, which in turn drives the efficient use of natural capital and promotes social equality.

Keywords

Conservation, ecosystems, indicators, multidimensional poverty, valuation, well-being