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An Observatory Framework for Metropolitan Change: Understanding Urban Social–Ecological–Technical Systems in Texas and Beyond

Author

Listed:
  • R. Patrick Bixler

    (RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service, LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA)

  • Katherine Lieberknecht

    (Community and Regional Planning Program, School of Architecture, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA)

  • Fernanda Leite

    (Construction Engineering and Project Management Program, Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA)

  • Juliana Felkner

    (Sustainable Design Program, School of Architecture, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA)

  • Michael Oden

    (Community and Regional Planning Program, School of Architecture, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA)

  • Steven M. Richter

    (Community and Regional Planning Program, School of Architecture, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA)

  • Samer Atshan

    (RGK Center for Philanthropy and Community Service, LBJ School of Public Affairs, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA)

  • Alvaro Zilveti

    (Construction Engineering and Project Management Program, Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA)

  • Rachel Thomas

    (Community and Regional Planning Program, School of Architecture, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA)

Abstract

In Texas and elsewhere, the looming realities of rapid population growth and intensifying effects of climate change mean that the things we rely on to live—water, energy, dependable infrastructure, social cohesion, and an ecosystem to support them—are exposed to unprecedented risk. Limited resources will be in ever greater demand and the environmental stress from prolonged droughts, record-breaking heat waves, and destructive floods will increase. Existing long-term trends and behaviors will not be sustainable. That is our current trajectory, but we can still change course. Significant advances in information communication technologies and big data, combined with new frameworks for thinking about urban places as social–ecological–technical systems, and an increasing movement towards transdisciplinary scholarship and practice sets the foundation and framework for a metropolitan observatory. Yet, more is required than an infrastructure for data. Making cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable will require that data become actionable knowledge that change policy and practice. Research and development of urban sustainability and resilience knowledge is burgeoning, yet the uptake to policy has been slow. An integrative and holistic approach is necessary to develop effective sustainability science that synthesizes different sources of knowledge, relevant disciplines, multi-sectoral alliances, and connections to policy-makers and the public. To address these challenges and opportunities, we developed a conceptual framework for a “metropolitan observatory” to generate standardized long-term, large-scale datasets about social, ecological, and technical dimensions of metropolitan systems. We apply this conceptual model in Texas, known as the Texas Metro Observatory, to advance strategic research and decision-making at the intersection of urbanization and climate change. The Texas Metro Observatory project is part of Planet Texas 2050, a University of Texas Austin grand challenge initiative.

Suggested Citation

  • R. Patrick Bixler & Katherine Lieberknecht & Fernanda Leite & Juliana Felkner & Michael Oden & Steven M. Richter & Samer Atshan & Alvaro Zilveti & Rachel Thomas, 2019. "An Observatory Framework for Metropolitan Change: Understanding Urban Social–Ecological–Technical Systems in Texas and Beyond," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:13:p:3611-:d:244621
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Zoltán Csedő & Máté Zavarkó & Balázs Vaszkun & Sára Koczkás, 2021. "Hydrogen Economy Development Opportunities by Inter-Organizational Digital Knowledge Networks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-26, August.
    2. Jin Huang & Liping Zhang & Jing Xie & Shuo Lei & Xuejie Mou & Cheng Duan & Xiahui Wang, 2025. "Assessing the Resilience of Urban Social–Ecological–Technological Systems in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Urban Agglomeration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-23, July.

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