PRSS Hosts Seminar on Economic Consequence Analysis Tool for Natural Disasters
In July , the Performance , Risk , and Social Office hosted Dr . Adam Rose who presented a seminar on the Economic Consequences Analysis Tool ( E-CAT ) at NOAA ’ s Silver Spring , Maryland Campus .
Dr . Rose explained the E-CAT framework , its theoretical and empirical underpinnings , and illustrated its derivation and use for the cases of an oil spill and a flood disaster . E-CAT was developed for policymakers and analysts who need rapid estimates of the economic impacts of natural disasters , technological accidents , and terrorist attacks . It involves a 7-step process and is programmed in Excel and Visual Basic to facilitate its use .
Dr . Adam Rose Credit : Dr . Adam Rose
Dr . Rose is a Research Professor at the University of Southern California ( USC ) Sol Price School of Public Policy , and a faculty affiliate of USC ' s Center for Risk and Economic Analysis of Terrorism Events ( CREATE ). His primary research interest is the economics of disasters , including natural hazards , terrorism and technological accidents .
View the seminar at : www . lib . noaa . gov / about / news / Rose _ 072116 . pptx ( PowerPoint presentation with recorded audio )
Oyster restoration , continued from page 1
The research team ( Dr . Stuart Carlton , Dr . Andrew Ropicki , and Mr . Bill Balboa — all from Texas Sea Grant ) used a mixed-mode survey of recreational anglers and fishing guides to analyze angler awareness of the reef , angler use of and satisfaction with the reef , demographics and motivations of reef anglers , and the economic impact of the reef .
The results showed that the restoration effort has been highly successful . On average , both guides and anglers agree that the fishing at Half Moon Reef is excellent , that the Texas coast needs more restoration projects like Half Moon Reef , and that more such environmental restoration projects are critical to the future of the Texas coast . Furthermore , the results showed that economic impacts from the recreational fishing industry due to the reef restoration include an additional $ 691,000 to Texas ’ GDP and $ 1.273 million in economic activity .
“ The success of Half Moon Reef has created a blueprint for coastal restoration across the region and proven that investments in habitat restoration can be great for nature and people ” said Dr . Christine Shepard , Director of Science for The Nature Conservancy ’ s Gulf of Mexico Program .
What is exceptional about this project is the partnership between The Nature Conservancy and Texas Sea Grant to evaluate the social dimensions of the restoration project . Often , these sorts of projects are only evaluated on ecological grounds . By looking at the social dimensions , the project showed that the reef has already impacted the local fishing economy significantly .
Sample collection at Matagorda Bay , Texas before reef construction Credit : Jerod Foster for The Nature Conservancy
For more information on the study , contact me at stuartcarlton @ tamu . edu .
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