Source: UNDP
Context:
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) jointly released the Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) 2025 Report titled “Overlapping Hardships: Poverty and Climate Hazards.” The report highlights how poverty and climate risks intersect, affecting over a billion people worldwide.
Published by:
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) & Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI)
Purpose of MPI:
- Measures acute poverty beyond income, capturing multiple deprivations in health, education, and standard of living
- Guides evidence-based policy aligned with SDG-1 (No Poverty)
Global Findings (109 Countries):
- Population in MPI Poverty: 1.1 billion (18.3%) live in acute multidimensional poverty
- Severity: 43.6% of poor people (~501 million) experience severe poverty (deprived in ≥50% of MPI indicators)
- Children: Represent 51% of global poor, highlighting intergenerational poverty
- Middle-Income Countries: Home to 740 million poor people, showing income-based measures underestimate deprivation
- Regional Concentration: Sub-Saharan Africa (49.2%) and South Asia together account for 83% of global poverty
- Rural Areas: 83.5% of the poor live in rural regions, despite constituting 55% of population
- Climate-Poverty Nexus: 80% of poor live in areas exposed to droughts, floods, or extreme heat
- Post-Pandemic Progress: Poverty reduction has slowed or stagnated due to inflation, conflict, and climate shocks
India-Specific Findings:
- Significant Reduction: Multidimensional poverty dropped from 55% (2005–06) to 16.4% (2019–21), lifting ~414 million people out of deprivation
- Child Poverty: Remains high, especially in nutrition, sanitation, cooking fuel, and housing
- Climate Exposure: ~99% of India’s poor live in climate-vulnerable regions
- Policy Drivers: Targeted welfare schemes like PM-Awas Yojana, Swachh Bharat Mission, Ujjwala, and Jal Jeevan Mission
- Challenges:
- Rural–urban disparities
- Climate-induced vulnerability
- Gender and child deprivations
- Data limitations for policy evaluation
- Fiscal constraints in many states
Key Recommendations:
- Integrate Poverty & Climate Policies: Climate-resilient welfare, green infrastructure, and disaster preparedness
- Localized Data Monitoring: District-level MPI dashboards for real-time, evidence-based policymaking
- Invest in Green Livelihoods: Renewable energy, organic farming, and circular economy employment
- Global Financial Support: Mobilize climate finance and concessional aid for dual poverty-climate challenges
- Child- and Gender-Sensitive Interventions: Focus on nutrition, clean fuel, education, and maternal health
