The Border Observatory Project provides longitudinal assessment of objective and subjective Quality of Life indicators as well as measures of subjective well being along the U.S. – Mexico border. There is currently no readily accessible archive of “Quality of Life” (QoL) data for the border region. Given the ongoing population growth coupled with resource constraint in this region, local and regional governments are forced to make choices about where and when to make critical investments to improve the living conditions of their communities. By measuring, archiving, and providing access to both objective and perceived quality of life data, this site will provide a source for critical information about QoL, and well being along the U.S. – Mexico border. This “data warehouse” can facilitate the consideration of policy changes aimed at enhancing the quality of life of border residents.

An accessible archive of QoL data could be used to guide policy and business decisions that would have a positive impact on socioeconomic development in the border region. In addition, the data provided by this site will help in providing measurable results for assessing progress towards goals stated in the Border 2012 program. Border 2012 is a ten-year program led by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Mexico's Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources in partnership with other U.S. and Mexican federal agencies to forge a regional, bottom-up approach for decision making to address key environmental issues in the border region. The project proposes a holistic assessment of QoL indicators, both objective and subjective in the social, community, economic, and environmental areas. This effort will provide a robust database to address a wide range of research and policy questions in the U. S.-Mexico border.