Louisiana is home to one of the largest and most productive coastal ecosystems in the world and to many vibrant and unique cultures. But the region is in peril. Almost 2,000 square miles of Louisiana coastal land have been lost in the past 80 years because of rising sea levels, land subsidence, oil and natural gas development, and the management of the Mississippi River for flood control and navigation at the expense of other regional and national interests. Without action, land loss will not only continue but actually accelerate in the coming decades, exceeding the current loss rate of one football field of land every 45 minutes.
In this video, Policy Researcher David Groves describes how RAND helped develop a comprehensive, 50-year master plan designed to achieve sustainability in the coastal region, which will reduce flood risk and ensure a vibrant and productive coastal ecosystem.
