THE EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY ON POVERTY IN REGIONS OF CENTRAL JAVA PROVINCE

Abstract

Poverty persists as a significant developmental challenge in Central Java Province, marked by elevated poverty rates and disparities in poverty levels among regencies and cities. Conversely, environmental quality is intrinsically connected to community well-being, as it influences individuals' capacity to fulfill their fundamental needs and enhance their quality of life. This study seeks to examine the influence of environmental quality on poverty levels in the regencies and cities of Central Java Province from 2021 to 2023. This study utilizes Amartya Sen's capability approach, which perceives poverty as a constraint on an individual's ability to attain well-being. The study employed a quantitative methodology utilizing panel data from 35 regencies and cities in Central Java Province from 2021 to 2023. The independent variables comprised access to safe drinking water, adequate sanitation, forested areas, health facilities, healthcare personnel, disaster risk, and regional administrative structure, whereas the poverty rate functioned as the dependent variable. The analysis utilized panel data regression employing the Random Effects Model (REM). The research findings demonstrate that access to sufficient sanitation and healthcare personnel significantly exacerbates poverty levels, whereas disaster risk and the type of regional governance substantially alleviate poverty levels. Conversely, access to potable water, wooded regions, and healthcare services does not substantially adversely impact poverty levels. The findings suggest that environmental quality affects poverty, especially via sanitation, health, and disaster risk. Poverty alleviation policies must be bolstered by enhancing access to sufficient sanitation, ensuring equitable allocation of healthcare professionals, fortifying disaster mitigation efforts, and diminishing developmental disparities between rural and urban regions to attain greater sustainable community well-being.