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| Houston Environmental Foresight |
Environmental Foresight for the Houston Region was designed to seek solutions that would reduce the risks posed by major environmental problems. Critical concerns were analyzed and prioritized in Phase 1 by experts and stakeholders in the region. Foresight Phase 2 developed achievable recommendations that could be used by decision makers in the region.
As we move into the 21st century, the Houston region's population was increasing and becoming more diverse. Urban sprawl continues to impinge upon Houston's natural habitats. The region's private and corporate citizens must continue to find new solutions that balance economic development with the protection of our precious resources to ensure clean air, water, and soil.
Background
Houston Environmental Foresight was conceived in 1993 at the Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) as a community-based project to identify, examine and rank major environmental issues that face the 8-county Houston region. In Phase 1, the Foresight program successfully organized scientists and community stakeholders, conducted a comprehensive environmental analysis, and achieved consensus on the ranking of major environmental concerns. Two well-received reports were issued as part of Phase 1, Seeking Environmental Improvement ( 1.47 MB) developed with the Foresight Committee, and Houston Environment 1995 ( 2.65 MB) developed by the Science Advisory Committee.
Goals for Phase 2
Policy makers and other participants recommended that Foresight be continued into Phase 2 to increase public awareness about the program's findings and to provide the opportunity to develop locally-based consensus recommendations on the issues and priorities identified in Phase 1. Phase 2 sought to achieve the following:
- Development of consensus solutions to critical environmental issues, based on analysis and conclusions in Phase 1 of the Foresight program published in Houston Environment 1995 and Seeking Environmental Improvement
- Provision of consensus recommendations and solutions to community leaders and policy makers in the public and private sectors;
- Continued equitable and effective involvement of all communities in the Houston region in the Foresight program - industry, environmentalists, minority communities, geographic representation, at-risk communities;
- Increasing the awareness and understanding of critical issues facing the region; and
- Establishment of a community-based, consensus process as a sustainable development voice in Houston to respond to environmental and economic issues.
Developing Recommendations and Solutions
The Foresight program worked with many community participants to develop recommendations and solutions that could reduce environmental risks posed by the problems examined in Phase 1. The Foresight approach relied on the best scientific and expert information to help community participants develop broad-based consensus on actions that could solve environmental issues.
The Phase 2 work plan envisioned formation of four major work groups to develop recommendations. Work group activities were led by the Foresight Steering Committee. The work groups included Outdoor/Indoor Air Quality, Habitat Alteration and Loss / Parks and Open Space, Flooding / Toxins and Contaminants, and Water Quality. These work groups addressed the Highest and High priority concerns of Phase 1 comparative risk ranking. The work groups consisted of 20 to 25 individuals representing various segments of the community, and who provided expert information on the issues assigned to the group. As in Phase 1, to achieve representation and appropriate expertise, members were carefully selected and approved.
The Foresight process engaged a large number of people in the work groups as well as reaching a target audience throughout the Houston region. This required substantial involvement of volunteers. Phase 1 required over ten thousand hours of volunteer participant time in addition to several thousand paid staff hours. Phase 2 was projected to take two and one-half years to complete, involving two full-time staff members, senior staff support, and research staff support.
Outreach Program
The Phase 2 outreach program had three major purposes:
- Increased awareness of the Foresight program and process;
- Increased awareness and knowledge of the program's findings, including knowledge of specific environmental problems; and
- Continued enlistment of participants.
Houston's highest ranked environmental concerns include outdoor air pollution, open space (parks), natural habitats and indoor contamination. HARC's Environmental Information Systems Laboratory (EISL) worked with HARC's Center for Global Studies (CGS) to develop public education information which were used to assist the outreach program and provide public awareness on these topics.
Community Support
The Foresight program has been supported through gifts from the Houston Endowment, Compaq Computer, the City of Houston, Coopers & Lybrand, the San Jacinto River Authority, Houston METRO and The Lyons Foundation. Additional funds were sought from other foundations, private industry, and governmental agencies.
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| Page Updated/Reviewed: 01/05/2007 9:24 AM |
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