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What is Border 2012?
What is Border 2012? Quick Finder |
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Introduction
The U.S.-Mexico border region is home to 12 million people, extends more than 2,000 miles (3,100 kilometers) from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific Ocean. As a result of the 1983 La Paz Agreement (PDF) (16pp, 94K) on Cooperation for the Protection and Improvement of the Environment in the Border Area both the U.S. and Mexico determined that the "border region" would extend 62.5 miles (100 kilometers) on each side of the international border. The diverse area includes large deserts, numerous mountain ranges, rivers, wetlands, large estuaries, and shared aquifers.
Ninety percent of the border population resides in 14 paired, inter-dependent sister cities. These "sister-cities" are metropolitan areas in both countries. Rapid population growth in urban areas has lead to unplanned development, greater demand for land and energy, increased traffic congestion and waste generation, overburdened or unavailable waste treatment and disposal facilities, and more frequent chemical emergencies. Residents in rural areas suffer from exposure to airborne dust, pesticide exposure, inadequate water supply and waste treatment facilities. Projected population growth rates in the border region exceed anticipated U.S. average growth rates (in some cases by more than 40 percent) for each country. By 2020 the population is expected to reach 19.4 million.
Border residents suffer disproportionately from many environmental health problems, including water-borne diseases and respiratory problems.
The numerous binational entities, together with the public developed the Border 2012 program whose mission is to protect the environment and public health in the U.S.-Mexico border region, consistent with the principles of sustainable development.
The ten-year Border 2012 program takes a bottom-up, regional approach, which relies heavily on local input, decision-making, priority-setting, and project implementation to best address environmental issues in the border region. It brings together a wide variety of stakeholders to prioritize sustainable actions that consider the environmental needs of the different border communities.
What Is Border 2012 Achieving?
By examining the various environmental issues in the border region six goals were identified to meet these serious environmental and public health challenges. Ten Guiding Principles were developed to direct the program to achieve the six goals, ensure consistency among all aspects of the program, and continue successful elements of previous border programs.
