The Relevance of the Environmental Dimension of Sustainability in the Human Development Index in the Anthropocene Era

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20090742

Abstract

Since the first annual publication of the Human Development Index (HDI) Report in 1990 and the pursuit by countries of higher levels of development, humanity has used a significant amount of exosomatic energy, generating an environmental crisis that manifests in different ways, but especially through climate change, which could lead us to ecological collapse. In response, this essay—based on a qualitative design—develops a series of topics: the Anthropocene, Human Development, and Sustainability Indicators, within an interpretive and reflective theoretical framework. Its aim is to contribute to the discussion on incorporating the environmental dimension of sustainability into the HDI, as there is no permanent indicator of the environmental dimension of sustainability within the HDI. Therefore, it concludes that the HDI continues to promote a development approach without fully considering the environmental dimension of sustainability, due to a combination of practical and conceptual reasons.