SUSTAINABILITY IN THE MARANHENSE AMAZON: AN APPROACH BASED ON THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT INDEX

Abstract

The fundamental principles of sustainable development and sustainability aim to mitigate the negative impacts of progress that neglects social well-being and environmental preservation. These concepts emerge from recognizing the inherent weaknesses in the current development model and the growing perception of the need to adopt a more balanced and equitable approach to promoting progress. Understanding the meanings of sustainable development and sustainability is crucial, as they are tied to a paradigm shift and a new global perspective that considers not only economic and political factors but also ecological aspects to achieve true development. This study aims to analyze the sustainability situation of the municipalities in the Maranhense Amazon by calculating a Municipal Sustainable Development Index. For this analysis, adaptations were made to existing proposals in the literature, with the index calculated based on the normalization and weighting of variables of interest organized into different dimensions. The findings revealed that the average Sustainable Development Index for the municipalities in the Maranhense Amazon was 0.481, with 89% of the municipalities classified in an alert situation. The proposed classification enhances the understanding of inequalities among the analyzed municipalities and can serve as a basis for developing public policies and actions aimed at improving conditions and promoting sustainability in the region.