HARC's Mission
 Strategic Elements

The need for an organization like HARC in its operational region has become increasingly clear, particularly over the last decade.

The greater Houston area and Texas Gulf coast make up one of the most biologically diverse parts in the United States. Coastal prairie, riparian zones, piney woods, and semi-arid lands converge here to create a variety of unique and complex ecosystems.

At the same time, our region is characterized by a growing human population, increasing income disparity, heavy industrialization and unchecked land development. The stresses of these demographic and economic factors on natural resources have had negative results:
• Compromised air and water quality
• Permanently reduced biodiversity and habitat
• Misallocated freshwater supplies, leading to water scarcity
• Increased vulnerability to natural disasters
 
The other aspect of sustainability – community well-being – is also critical. The rapid growth and suburbanization of the region have created other problems including:
• Wasted energy and time
• Traffic congestion and highway accidents
• Lack of affordable housing near jobs
• The emergence of gated "fortress" communities

Beyond these direct consequences are secondary social problems, such as:
• Loss of a sense of community
• Stress on families due to separation of home, work, and school
• Social and environmental justice issues
• Unequal access to housing, jobs, schools, and health services

It is becoming more challenging to understand the complex relationship among society, technology and the natural environment. Our analysis has shown there is a lack of enough objective, applied research on the complex issues affecting our region to create permanent environmental and community improvement.  To accomplish its mission, HARC has adopted the sustainability science framework set out in the National Research Council's Our Common Journey.¹ In this framework, the foundations of sustainability include biological, social, technological and geophysical systems research. A great deal of this knowledge and know-how already exists in these disciplines, but only a small fraction of it is currently being utilized by policy makers and other decision leaders. Two-way, dynamic processes are critical for transforming what one researcher or organization knows into something useful for the decision-making challenges and opportunities faced by others. This approach to sustainability must occur at a regional level so that stakeholders can be engaged and problems addressed.  HARC is well-positioned to fill a role demanded by scientific bodies, public officials and interest groups to provide the critical information required to promote sustainable development in our region. In its operating niche, HARC's role is to bridge the gap between basic research and technology commercialization, and basic science and policy implementation. In this role, HARC improves the flow of critical information and data in both directions between scientists and decision makers.  Related to its operating niche, HARC positions itself as a boundary organization. While remaining objective and non-partisan, a boundary organization promotes dialogue and cooperation between scientists who produce knowledge and the decision makers who use it. HARC is committed to sustainability, but is neutral regarding how, exactly, sustainability should be achieved. This grants our organization license to mediate among different viewpoints.  HARC's research competencies provide the broad experience in basic and applied science, government, technology, social science and the private sector that is necessary to understand the needs of various sustainability practitioners. With these unique attributes, HARC serves a vital function in our region by producing knowledge and transfering that knowledge to the policy, commercial and civic action arenas.

¹National Research Council. 1999. Our Common Journey. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press.