Transportation emissions are a significant contributor to climate change. Transportation plans and related documentation of metropolitan planning organizations and international cities were reviewed to ascertain whether climate change considerations are being incorporated into the transportation planning process. The review revealed that climate change considerations have not yet been included in a majority of cases in the transportation planning process, especially with regard to adapting transportation systems to the potential effects of climate change. Where such consideration did occur, the focus was on greenhouse gas emission mitigation where data collection techniques and analysis tools are better developed and already in place within many planning organizations. A conceptual framework for transportation planning is presented and used to illustrate how some agencies have considered climate change in each step of the planning process. Recommendations are provided on how greenhouse gas emission mitigation and climate adaptation strategies can be incorporated into the transportation planning process.
Projects
Climate Change Considerations in Transportation Planning
09/01/2008
05/01/2009
Completed
Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta
Download final report by clicking here.