Comments on: Part II – Historical economic losses from hurricanes – Where does Katrina fit? http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3590 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 22:36:51 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Dylan Otto Krider http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3590&cpage=1#comment-1757 Dylan Otto Krider Sun, 11 Sep 2005 02:00:57 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3590#comment-1757 I look forward to seeing your take on Nick Kristof's piece in the NYT: http://nytimes.com/2005/09/11/opinion/11kristof.html?hp I look forward to seeing your take on Nick Kristof’s piece in the NYT: http://nytimes.com/2005/09/11/opinion/11kristof.html?hp

]]> By: Jim Angel http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3590&cpage=1#comment-1756 Jim Angel Sat, 10 Sep 2005 17:09:09 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3590#comment-1756 An article in the local paper noted that a significant impact of Katrina for Illinois agriculture has been a reduction in price of corn and soybeans since they are now harder to export. The cheapest way to export Midwestern grain was to send it down the Mississippi River and then out the Gulf of Mexico. With harvest just around the corner, there also are concerns about storage until the bottleneck is removed. These are examples of secondary costs associated with Katrina that probably will never make it into the final price tag. An article in the local paper noted that a significant impact of Katrina for Illinois agriculture has been a reduction in price of corn and soybeans since they are now harder to export. The cheapest way to export Midwestern grain was to send it down the Mississippi River and then out the Gulf of Mexico. With harvest just around the corner, there also are concerns about storage until the bottleneck is removed. These are examples of secondary costs associated with Katrina that probably will never make it into the final price tag.

]]> By: Roger Pielke, Jr. http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3590&cpage=1#comment-1755 Roger Pielke, Jr. Sat, 10 Sep 2005 13:15:31 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3590#comment-1755 Steve- These are important, and as you have suggested, very complicated questions. Have a look at Part I of this discussion here: http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheus/archives/environment/000557making_sense_of_econ.html And if your really want to delve into this topic, I'd strongly recommend this book by the Heinz Center on "The Hidden Costs of Coastal Hazard" which grapples with these issues in some depth: http://www.islandpress.com/books/detail.html?cart=105242990048922&SKU=1-55963-756-0 Steve- These are important, and as you have suggested, very complicated questions. Have a look at Part I of this discussion here:

http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheus/archives/environment/000557making_sense_of_econ.html

And if your really want to delve into this topic, I’d strongly recommend this book by the Heinz Center on “The Hidden Costs of Coastal Hazard” which grapples with these issues in some depth:

http://www.islandpress.com/books/detail.html?cart=105242990048922&SKU=1-55963-756-0

]]> By: Steve Bloom http://cstpr.colorado.edu/prometheus/?p=3590&cpage=1#comment-1754 Steve Bloom Fri, 09 Sep 2005 20:53:09 +0000 http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/prometheusreborn/?p=3590#comment-1754 How does Katrina's impact on oil and natural gas production factor into this? That's a huge difference between Katrina and Andrew. South Florida lacks anything nearly so critical to the overall economy. There is also the issue of Katrina having hit at a critical time for oil and gas supplies in this country, which at a minimum has resulted in a much larger indirect impact on the overall economy than would have been the case five years ago. Another aspect you may or may not have heard about is that CA will probably allow a more polluting gas mixture this winter due to Katrina, which will reduce the direct economic impact by keeping gas prices down but will increase health care costs. Since NO is our only major city below sea level, probably there's no other geographical location in the country where a major hurricane could result in the long-term displacement of such a large population. This certainly puts Katrina into a qualitative league of its own. The human cost aside, how does one even begin to ascribe numbers to such an unprecedented event? How does Katrina’s impact on oil and natural gas production factor into this? That’s a huge difference between Katrina and Andrew. South Florida lacks anything nearly so critical to the overall economy. There is also the issue of Katrina having hit at a critical time for oil and gas supplies in this country, which at a minimum has resulted in a much larger indirect impact on the overall economy than would have been the case five years ago. Another aspect you may or may not have heard about is that CA will probably allow a more polluting gas mixture this winter due to Katrina, which will reduce the direct economic impact by keeping gas prices down but will increase health care costs.

Since NO is our only major city below sea level, probably there’s no other geographical location in the country where a major hurricane could result in the long-term displacement of such a large population. This certainly puts Katrina into a qualitative league of its own. The human cost aside, how does one even begin to ascribe numbers to such an unprecedented event?

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