Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Author-Name: Manuel de Maya Matallana
Author-Name: Prudencio J. Riquelme Perea
Author-Name: María López Martínez
Title:  SOSTENIBILIDAD SOCIOECONÓMICA DE LAS REGIONES ESPAÑOLAS MEDIANTE INDICADORES OBJETIVOS Y SUBJETIVOS DE CALIDAD DE VIDA
Abstract: Resumen:Este trabajo mide la calidad de vida de las regiones españolas a través de un conjunto de dimensiones, tanto objetivas como subjetivas, reflejadas en nueve indicadores parciales: condiciones materiales, trabajo, salud, educación, ocio, seguridad, medio ambiente, gobernanza y bienestar subjetivo. Se aplica una metodología basada en el indicador de distancia DP2, habitual en trabajos relacionados con el bienestar y la felicidad. Adicionalmente, se calculan los índices de sostenibilidad débil y fuerte teniendo en cuenta todas las dimensiones utilizadas. Según los resultados obtenidos, ninguna región alcanza la sostenibilidad fuerte, mientras que todas son sostenibles débilmente, excepto Andalucía.Abstract:The objective of this work is to analyze the quality of life through different areas of well-being. As a novelty, the dimensions are divided into different components, which in  turn can be objective or subjective. Specifically, nine dimensions are considered: materialconditions, work, health, education, leisure, security, governance, environment and, finally,life experience. A development model is presented that tries to achieve a balance betweenthe different dimensions, focused on human capacities for self-realization.In the last half century, the concepts of economic growth, development and wellbeinghave been differentiated, given the realization that growth can have harmful effectson the environment and, also, due to the need to incorporate other variables related tothe quality of work, health, confidence or job security. Thus, economic magnitudes area necessary condition for well-being, but there are other determinants. The notion ofdevelopment does not only depend on the optimal combination of production factors,but also on an adequate use of wasted skills and resources. Therefore, raising income orother material provisions does not always guarantee greater happiness if other variablesand dimensions are ignored.Thirty-eight objective variables (grouped in turn into fifteen subdimensions andeight dimensions) and seventeen subjective variables (thirteen subdimensions and eightdimensions) have been used. The indicators are those corresponding to the INE’s Qualityof Life Indicators, following the same methodology as other European countries. Objectivemeasures (unemployment rate, life expectancy) and subjective measures (satisfaction inrelation to different aspects or on their self-perceived state of health) are included. Thesevariables refer to a specific space-time framework: the Spanish regions and, in general,during the year 2019.In this work, a differentiation has been made between three ways of defining qualityof life. The first refers to living conditions, reflected in a series of socioeconomic indicators(objective well-being). These variables inform us of the needs related to “having”. Thesecond informs us of the satisfaction of the person with respect to each dimension orcondition of life, measured by psychological indicators. The values of each person, attitudes,customs, culture and philosophy of each territory, feelings and, ultimately, of “being”or “feeling” (subjective well-being) are incorporated. The third consists of a combinationof both forms of well-being (objective and subjective). Consequently, a synthetic indicatorof subjective, objective and global well-being is obtained.To prepare the partial indicators and, based on them, a synthetic one of well-being,the DP2 distance method developed by Pena Trapero is used, which has been widelyused to measure social well-being. Additionally, the weak and strong sustainability levelsare calculated following three main phases (obtaining the reference levels (reserve andaspiration), achievement levels and calculation of the sustainability indices through theweak and strong weights that are associated to each indicator).It is concluded that Spain is a territory made up of various socioeconomic realities,reflected in the different levels of quality of life achieved in each territory. In general, wecan say that there are several geographical patterns, being in general the northern andMediterranean regions, except Region of Murcia and Andalusia, those that achieve thehighest levels of well-being, while the south and the Canary Islands tend to be the least  developed. Thus, Cantabria, La Rioja, Navarre, Aragon are those that achieve the highestlevels of well-being (they are also those with the highest objective well-being).In an intermediate group are Aragon, Balearic Islands (due to their leadership insubjective well-being), Community of Valencia, Community of Madrid, Catalonia andCastile and Leon (low positions due to their low level of subjective well-being). In a thirdgroup, we include three regions from the north and two from the south (Extremadura,Basque Country, Asturias, Galicia (last in subjective well-being) and Castilla-La Mancha).The communities of the Canary Islands, Region of Murcia and Andalusia would be foundin the group with the lowest well-being, the latter being the only one that is unsustainablefrom the weak point of view.The most effective policies to increase the well-being of Spanish society involve anadequate housing policy, which reduces the high expenditure that families must assumefor their enjoyment, together with an improvement in the consumption patterns of families,improving their financial education to lead a healthy family economy. In this sense, itwould be convenient to promote the habitability of rural areas and of what is commonlyknown as “empty Spain”, prioritizing the repopulation of inland areas.Another relevant measure would be the reduction of poverty, even above the increasein income or the decrease in inequality. In this sense, the important thing for a societyis to ensure that the basic needs of all citizens are satisfied, based on a developmentmodel that prioritizes the needs that allow people to self-realisation in the workplace andin the emotional or family environment.To improve the rest of the dimensions, special emphasis should be placed onimproving social relations, with a more familiar socioeconomic model, reducing longtermunemployment rates through improved education, especially in continuous trainingprocesses and reduction of educational dropouts. A review of the educational systemis needed, with greater emphasis on comprehensive, scientific-humanistic training thatencourages entrepreneurial attitudes to avoid preferentially selective teaching.In the health field, an improvement in health outcomes, especially reducing peoplewith severe limitations in daily activity. Regarding the environmental dimension, the resultsindicate that economic growth worsens this indicator, exclusively using objective variables,which is why it is necessary to accelerate the ecological transition of the Spanish economy.Economic growth improves levels of well-being, both objective and subjective,although it worsens levels of security, governance and the environment. It also has apositive impact on sustainability, especially the weak one. Consequently, the policy tofollow would not be to reduce economic growth, since it would decrease well-being, butrather to improve its quality so that it is more correlated with the different dimensions ofwell-being, especially those mentioned above. All the Spanish regions reach negativevalues in the Strong Sustainability Index, especially the Canary Islands, Galicia andAndalusia. Only La Rioja is close to sustainability, having to correct the environmentalaspect to achieve total sustainability.
Classification-JEL: R1
Keywords: Innovación en Medio Ambiente, Calidad de vida, Indicador de Distancia Dp2, Regiones españolas, Sostnibilidad, Environment, Quality of Life, Dp2 Distance Indicator, Spanish regions, Financial Sustainability
Pages: 223-265
Volume: 3
Year: 2023
File-URL: http://www.revistaestudiosregionales.com/documentos/articulos/pdf-articulo-2662.pdf
File-Format: Application/pdf
Handle: RePEc:rer:articu:v:3:y:2023:p:223-265