BusinessNew Orleans creates economic value out of environmental vulnerability
Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans and the state of Louisiana have become so adept at dealing with disaster reconstruction, that their new-found skills are now seen as an economic asset to be shared, for profit, with other states and localities. The area’s new environmental awareness is also a source of economic growth, as analysts now consider “emerging environmental” as one of six key industries in the city and state to focus on development, along with coastal restoration and water management, disaster mitigation and management, hazardous waste disposal, advanced bio fuels and waste water treatment.
Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans and the state of Louisiana have become so adept at dealing with disaster reconstruction, that their new-found skills are beginning to be seen as an economic asset to be shared, for profit, with other states and localities .
As theTimes-Picayune reports, companies such as the Greater New Orleans Inc. (GNO Inc.) economic development group has tallied roughly $327 million in rebuilding efforts for subsequent damaging storms such as the 2012 Superstorm Sandy, which ravaged parts of the eastern United States.
“Only a few states and regions have begun to tackle this challenge,” said the Data Center, a research group which found that Southeast Louisiana water management jobs increased by 7,832 in just three years. “Louisiana is in the vanguard.”
GNO Inc. is now considering “emerging environmental” one of six key industries in the city and state to focus on developing, along with “coastal restoration and water management, disaster mitigation and management, hazardous waste disposal, advanced bio fuels and waste water treatment.”
“This is all very real,” said Robin Barnes, the chief operating officer of the group, “I think we’re a real hub of research, expertise, planning, education, in this area. We’re going to create jobs for residents with this.”
Now that the state is working to solve its problems and those of others, the pop-up industry is becoming its own brand. Now, citing the New Orleans Business Alliance’s Prosperity Nola program, the impetus for further job growth and principled development is bearing fruits.
Given this, employment in the region is expected to rise significantly with the development of more manufacturing facilities to furnish the reconstruction industry, construction jobs to facilitate the plans, and tourism growth as industries aim to work more with the environment, rather than against it.
Additionally, the industry has room to expand such as when the local firm Waggoner and Ball — an architectural group — were commissioned to do work in places such as Bridgeport, Connecticut, following storm damage.
“They very much were using New Orleans as a model,” said Ramiro Diaz, a designer with the company.
Now, instead of looking at New Orleans as a liability or a place where one should be wary of laying down roots due to the unpredictable nature of the environment, many view the past and vulnerability of the area as a new, freeing economic identity.
“If we don’t protect our environment and ensure we have a coast, and we don’t have a city that’s sinking, none of this stays. If we don’t think about the environment and economic development as one, not in opposition to each other, we are literally sunk,” Barnes said.
