Studying linkages between environment issues and poverty. A case from urban Uruguay - DOI: 10.5801/ncn.v16i2.1399

Abstract

Public policies and governmental actions aimed to promote economic and social development and poverty alleviation traditionally have little linkages with environmental issues. This usually happens by the process of agenda-setting and design of public policies directed to respond to specific problems. The purpose of this paper is to raise topics for discussion around the potential to create policies that may produce better results with greater and more positive impact on affected populations. Therefore, we studied the profile of poverty in Uruguay, as well as its environmental problems in urban and peri-urban areas in Montevideo. At the same time, a short presentation is made about the potential to create linkages between policies aimed to tackle poverty alleviation and concomitant environmental issues. We conclude that the two aspects have coherence. However, for an effective application, public policies should also include other variables such as racial and ethnic profiling, policies for children and youth, gender issues, literacy policies and housing.