Correction: Link to "Reworking the working coast: Economic change and the geography of opportunity in Southeast Louisiana” has been updated.
Dear friends and colleagues,
We all know that one of the keys to resiliency is income and savings that allow one to better withstand “shocks”—whether those shocks are floods, plant closures, the death of a family member, or any other life shock. In Southeast Louisiana, understanding flood risk is critical for informing decisions that will help individuals and communities be resilient. But equally important is understanding the changing employment opportunities available in communities—particularly those at the front line of coastal change.
Today, The Data Center releases a new report that examines how coastal communities in Southeast Louisiana are experiencing changing work opportunities and how these changes could, in turn, affect their ability to adapt to coastal land loss.
Our data analysis reveals that coastal communities have traditionally had many good paying jobs that supported upward mobility for residents, but that many middle-wage jobs have been lost across the region since 2001. Notably, the loss of oil and gas jobs in recent decades seems to have been particularly hard on lower Terrebonne and Lafourche, Plaquemines, and St. Bernard parishes.
Prioritizing economic development opportunities that grow middle and high wage jobs with good opportunities for upward mobility can help residents in coastal communities be more financially equipped to bear the costs and risks associated with coastal land loss.
The coastal restoration and water management cluster is an especially pragmatic opportunity to grow good jobs and advance the sustainability of the regional economy while addressing a host of related environmental challenges at the same time.
Bringing you the data you need to make informed decisions,
The Data Center Team
Katrina Andry, Erica Amrine, Allison Plyer, Dabne Whitemore, Jenna Losh, Don Asay, Robby Habans, Lamar Gardere, Cody Brumfield, Amy Teller, Rachel Weinstein, and Arthur Rymer
