Municipal sustainable development possibilities along the US-Mexico border: an interdisciplinary evaluation effort

Abstract

After 15 years of created, the Border Environmental Cooperation Commission (BECC, in Spanish COCEF, Comisión de Cooperación Ecológica Fronteriza) is interested in measuring sustainability in the Mexican municipalities along the US-Mexico border. BECC is a bi-national organization created by the Governments of United States and Mexico to help conserve, protect and enhance the environment in the region. This assessment of municipal sustainability helps understand the impact of the BECC actions and guide plans and projects on the region. Sustainability is evaluated through a series of indices. Each one is the result of comparative interpretation of indicators based on a graphic display of weighted interactions of environmental, social, and economic nature. The assessment is conducted through workshops with a group of experts in BECC and Utah State University. Scores, percentages, and rankings are produced by an interactive computer application allowing a stronger and detailed diagnosis for each municipal unit.