The Evolution of the Coastal Economy: The Role of Working Waterfronts in the Alabama Gulf Coast

Yaoqi Zhang, Sheng Li and Zhimei Guo
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Yaoqi Zhang: International Center for Ecology, Meteorology & Environment, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Sheng Li: International Center for Ecology, Meteorology & Environment, School of Applied Meteorology, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing 210044, China
Zhimei Guo: Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA

Sustainability, 2015, vol. 7, issue 4, 1-13

Abstract: This article describes the evolution of the coastal economy in Alabama and examines the driving forces of the sustainable economy in a historical context. The input-output model was applied to assess the direct and secondary effects of output and employment in the coastal region. Results suggest that state industries are heavily dependent on waterfront-related activities in this area, which have fueled much of their rapid development in the past few decades. Tourism, ship building and repairing and transportation are the three dominating sources contributing to the coastal economy. There are a few general problems of working waterfronts in the coastal Alabama area, but there are also some unique problems (e.g., Hurricane Katrina, Deepwater Horizon oil spill). Policies for future sustainable development are proposed.

Keywords: input-output model; economic evaluation; Gulf Area; natural disasters; marine transportation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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