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Introduction
- Texas A&M University Press
- Chapter
- Additional Information
Introduction This book is intended to give a broad overview of the most important factors controlling the economic significance of the Gulf of Mexico, ranging from the region’s political history to assessments of the industries dependent on the Gulf. The authors represent an equally broad range and include business, economic, and ecology specialists. Chapter 1 offers an analysis of the likelihood that the countries surrounding the Gulf will evolve in the foreseeable future into an integrated transnational community. The chapter also provides a historical foundation that supplies context for what follows. This discussion gives a valuable review of the region’s fascinating and at times politically contentious history, from European colonization to the North American Free Trade Agreement. The most tumultuous events are highlighted, along with the ways these events have shaped relations among the Gulf countries—and their economies. Ultimately, the author makes the case that each Gulf country has a stake in sustainable management of Gulf resources, and that this can only be accomplished with improved cooperation across borders. Any reasoned economic analysis of the Gulf of Mexico will conclude that the region is a critically significant component in the economies of surrounding countries. Hence it is somewhat surprising that this significance has not been adequately characterized. The remaining chapters in this book make major contributions to correcting that deficiency. Chapter 2 addresses the questions of whether the massive economic productivity of the Gulf of Mexico can be quantified in dollars, and what the total value might be. Focusing on the economic significance to Mexico and the United States of four of the most critical and lucrative Gulf industries, the author takes a first step toward accomplishing that goal. Though value depends on many volatile factors, ensuring that it will always be in flux, the case is made that even a conservative estimate of the overall value is a significant portion of the U.S. and Mexican economies and is larger than the gross domestic product of smaller countries. The discussion also examines the potential of human activities, especially coastal population growth, to reduce that value. Chapter 3 takes a more in-depth look at a variety of key U.S. industries that are directly or indirectly dependent on the Gulf’s many natural resources. This analysis includes discussion of the extent to which various industries are dependent on the health of those resources. Beyond current values, the authors analyze trends over past decades in these industries to give a more complete view of their economic significance. They do not discuss the importance of construction and urban development in the coastal zone, which are covered in the next chapter. Chapter 4 outlines efforts by the National Ocean Economics Program, a multi-university effort sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric xviii Introduction Administration, to track changes in human activities and growth patterns along the Gulf of Mexico coastline. The authors explore the region’s significance as an industrial center making major contributions to the oil and gas industry and trace its rapid growth in the tourism and recreation sectors. In addition to information about longer-term trends, they examine the impact of the 2005 hurricanes on previous rates of growth along the coast in population, housing, and the economy. The authors make the case that declines observed should spur closer examination of vulnerability to such events along the Gulf Coast. Beyond more readily quantifiable economic contributions from activities examined, they also consider the non-market value generated by the Gulf ecosystem and how this value relates to quality of life for visitors and residents. This enables a more complete view of the true potential economic impacts of damage to coastal resources and ecosystems. Finally, chapter 5 examines Mexican economic activities dependent on the Gulf of Mexico and the current level of environmental deterioration in the Mexican portion of the Gulf. As pointed out, Mexican Gulf states make relatively low contributions to Mexico’s gross domestic product, and the authors suggest that this may be due in large part to decreases in the integrity of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem. They argue that continued unsustainable development will likely lead to crisis in the region. The authors conclude that to prevent this crisis, present and future coastal planning efforts must do a better job of considering environmental concerns, including climate change impacts. The studies presented here make a clear case both quantitatively and qualitatively that the Gulf of Mexico’s resources are a vital component in the economies of...