Economic expert says patterns
in economic values and tradeoffs sometimes contradict common assumptions
in management
KINGSTON, R.I. –Dr. Robert Johnston will discuss the economic impacts of climate change to kick off the first of the Coastal State Discussion series on Tuesday, February 25 from 4 to 6 p.m. at the University Club on the University of Rhode Island’s Kingston campus.
Johnston is a professor of economics and the director for the George Perkins Marsh Institute at Clark University and a URI alumnus who received his doctorate from the Department of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics.
His research focuses on the economic values and
trade-offs of certain coastal management schemes used throughout New England to
mitigate climate change impacts from storms, flooding, erosion, and sea level
rise.
He will explore the challenges of balancing waterfront development with
effective protection of coastal ecosystem services and related costs and
benefits to management decisions.
“Particular attention is given to the linkages between natural and social sciences necessary to quantify these effects,” he said, explaining that he will draw from examples on waterfront development and watershed restoration in Maine, as well as alternative coastal adaptation strategies, including economic values, and the implications for communities’ adaptation choices as part of an ongoing project in Connecticut.
The results, he says, demonstrate patterns in economic values and tradeoffs that sometimes contradict common assumptions.
This event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited, so please contact Meredith Haas at mmhaas@mail.uri.edu to reserve a place or for more information. The University Club is located on Upper College Road on URI’s Kingston Campus.
The Coastal State series is sponsored by Rhode Island Sea Grant, the URI College of the Environment and Life Sciences, and the URI Coastal Institute. This lecture is also supported by the Rhode Island Shoreline (Beach) Special Area Management Plan.
Rhode Island Sea Grant is located at the University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography. For more information, visit seagrant.gso.uri.edu.