Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Sea level rise and investment

First there's this from LA Times:

An island midway between India and Bangladesh that became a catalyst for military threats in the 1980s is now submerged under the rising sea.The Bay of Bengal island, which India called New Moore Island and Bangladesh referred to as South Talpatti, has ceased to exist, the Jadavpur University's School of Oceanic Studies declared this week.

Some also think that the Maldives will also be a victime of sea level rise in the future. So what does it mean when I read the following:

The just-opened Shangri-La Villingili in the Maldives, with overwater bungalows (my dream accommodation), postcard-perfect powder white sand, and crystal-clear water. There's also a spa with a yoga pavilion overlooking the Indian Ocean--yoga with a view is, naturally, more conducive to a deep meditational state. I also like the idea of the 11-mile bike path that leads across five islands past villages and lush jungle.

In fact, several resorts are either in the pipeline or are already opened.

Suppose an investor commits $100 million to a new resort with an annual operating cost of $1 million per year. What does this imply about:
1. Expectation of sea-level rise (in terms of years in the future that it will happen)
2. Discount rate assuming that sea-level rise is imminent in 10 years?

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