INPUT-OUTPUT ANALYSIS AS A TOOL IN ASSESSING THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATIC VARIATIONS ON REGIONAL ECONOMIES: WITH PROTOTYPE APPLICATIONS TO THE OKLAHOMA ECONOMY

Input-output analysis techniques are developed to relate climate impacts affecting specific economic sectors to overall economic impacts in a regional economy. The types of applied problems covered include: (1) Estimates of impacts from "natural" (or historical) climatic variability on the agricultural crop sector and residential consumption; (2) Estimates of likely impacts from an operational weather modification program; (3) Estimates of likely impacts from the implementation of climate-conscious irrigation scheduling strategies; (4) Estimates of likely impacts resulting from climate-conscious residential retrofitting; (5) The feasibility of instituting a statewide water transfer program, including consideration of the impact of scenarios involving climate-conscious irrigation scheduling; (6) A general consideration of using input-output techniques as an "optimal" decision-making tool for regional planners faced with coping with climate-related water shortages. The potentials of input-output analysis for dealing with such problem contexts are explored. Provisional estimates are made of the magnitude of the dollar impacts on the Oklahoma economy. Suggestions are made as how much information can be used to tailor programmatic expenditures to match expected economic gains. Finally, suggestions are made as to promising avenues for future study.