Using the Magic City Innovation District and Little Haiti as a case study, this project examines and raises awareness of the potential environmental and social costs of land use and economic changes associated with re-zoning and urban development. While gentrification of neighborhoods like Little Haiti generate economic benefits for developers and many homeowners and businesses, the costs incurred by low-income communities of color in the form of relocation, increased exposure to climate hazards, and disrupted social networks, are significant and measurable.
The proposed Navigation and Ecosystem Sustainability Programexpansion on the Upper Mississippi River and Illinois Waterwayrepresents an opportunity for the USACE to incorporate ecosystem service values into its analysis so that planning decisions can be made using the most complete information possible. Indeed, including ecosystem service values in economic analyses for this and other future navigation projects offers a monumental opportunity to arrive at win-win solutions that prioritize both the health and productivity of the Mississippi River and the future prosperity of the nation.
The proposed Hale Parkway project is a multi-functional storm water facility and community asset that mitigates flooding, generates significant community benefits, and improves water quality. Community benefits can be obvious, like providing a new recreation opportunity or community gathering space, or more subtle, such as improving air quality or providing habitat for birds. These benefits, also known as ecosystem services, enhance community resilience and well-being and increase the return on investment to the com munity.
Natural capital provides many social, economic, and environmental benefits within Michigan’s Keweenaw Peninsula, and continued degradation of ecosystems by stamp sands threatens the environment and local economies.
As natural capital, the ecosystems of Biscayne Bay form the foundation of our lives and economies. Enhancing the health of the bay leads to improved resilience for Florida and the surrounding the region. Building resilience includes, but isn’t limited to, increasing protection from storms, ensuring reliable drinking water, enabling continued recreational and commercial fishing, and buffering sea level rise.
The shoreline and marine ecosystems of San Juan County provide benefits that would be impractical or even impossible to replace, including water quality, air quality, flood risk reduction, and habitat for threatened and endangered species. Once lost, these services that the county receives for free must be replaced with costly built solutions, which are often less resilient and shorter-lived. Understanding and accounting for ecosystem services reveals the true economic benefits of healthy ecosystems and the true economic damages that pollution events such as oil spills generate for communities like the San Juan County.
In 2017, Earth Economics consulted with the Puyallup Watershed Initiative to prepare an exploratory report to better understand the potential tradeoffs that can occur when developing properties in incorporated and unincorporated Pierce County.
The Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) is a flagship species, a cultural icon, and an economic driver for Washington State. To better understand the economic incentives to invest in SRKW recovery, Earth Economics conducted an economic contribution analysis to estimate the value of whale watching in San Juan County.
Forests are among Pierce County's most valuable natural assets, supporting clean water and air, bolstering climate stability, and sustaining local communities.
Nature and natural infrastructure are critical assets in strengthening cities’ resilience to a broad range of shocks and stresses.
