Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law & Policy
NEWS RELEASE
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FLEEING INVESTMENT, AS WELL AS LAND LOSS, ENDANGERS COASTAL LOUISIANA, BUT THERE ARE WAYS TO ADDRESS BOTH AT THE SAME TIME
The viability of coastal communities will be determined by their ability to attract investment long before inundation by rising seas. Public institutions and private investment will have to work hand-in-hand.
For Immediate Release
Contact: Mark Davis
Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law & Policy
504-865-5982/504-919-8324 or at msdavis@tulane.edu
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Christopher Dalbom
Tulane Institute on Water Resources Law & Policy
504-865-5915 or at cdalbom@tulane.edu
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New Orleans, LA
June 26, 2018
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In 2017, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority released the latest iteration of the state’s Coastal Master Plan. As in previous years, the plan prominently displayed maps of the latest sea level rise projections. The projections were dire; what had been the worst-case scenario in the 2012 plan was now the best-case scenario. What the map doesn’t show, however, are the decisions being made both across and outside of Louisiana that affect investment into coastal communities.
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SUMMARY:
To maintain long-term economic viability, coastal Louisiana needs continued public and private investment at every scale, from individual homeowners to businesses and major lenders. Investment depends on confidence, but disappearing coasts and climate change threaten to erode investor confidence in a number of ways. It is only through public efforts to create confidence in private investment in South Louisiana that the cycle of ever increasing risks and costs can be broken with robust protection and restoration work that benefits everyone who invests in the region, be it with their livelihoods, homes, or capital.
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CONCLUSION:
As the Louisiana coast continues to change , the impacts that investments have on community viability become increasingly important. Both outside parties and citizens of these communities make substantial investments in their futures by choosing to remain in coastal Louisiana. The parties that place resources into coastal communities rely on their governmental partners to provide a stable and functional environment where their investments can thrive. Governments can create conditions conducive to investment by prioritizing capacity building in environmental and social factors. They should also build strong, environmentally engaged portfolios in order to attract investors who place value in environmental, social, and governance criteria when selecting their investments. With a little luck, and smart planning, community-led investments can allow the daunting future of coastal communities to become one of hope and growth.
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A copy of the report is available at the Tulane Institute of Water Resources Law and Policy Website here:
http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/32079b_a3e6cd37f6664866a3df285fab60ec05.pdf