01349630

Component

http://www.trb.org/Publications/Blurbs/165529.aspx

The transportation planners, designers, and operators of this nation’s transportation systems face many daunting concerns, not the least of which is funding to maintain and improve the country’s infrastructure and competitiveness. To these concerns is now added climate change or global warming. This paper does not address the science of climate change or the issue of mitigation to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG). Rather it accepts the current state of knowledge on global warming and focuses on adaptation. How does the transportation community develop solutions and approaches that will minimize or eliminate the impact of climate change? To many, this question is a paramount one as the nation builds, rebuilds, operates, and maintains its transportation infrastructure. Even if there are major strides in the mitigation of GHG emissions, the world very likely will be facing a significantly altered climate in coming decades with impacts that test our current ability to forecast accurately. Nonetheless, one can develop scenarios of probable impacts and how the United States might adapt to conditions that could occur 25 to 50 years hence. While most of these scenarios deal with transportation, a few others are included to demonstrate the breadth of the impacts.

01349624

English

pp 2-9

2011-6

Transportation Research Circular

Web

Figures (3) ; References (5) ; Tables (1)

Climate change; Forecasting; Global warming; Impacts; Transportation

Environment; Planning and Forecasting; Transportation (General); I15: Environment; I72: Traffic and Transport Planning

TRIS, TRB

Aug 11 2011 1:25PM

• Adapting Transportation to the Impacts of Climate Change: State of the Practice 2011. Introduction
• Climate Change Adaptation and Preparedness Planning for Airports
• Climate Change Impacts on Ports
• Early Signs of Climate Change: 2010 Flooding in Tennessee, Rhode Island, and Iowa
• Federal Highway Administration Activities Related to the Adaptation of Transportation Infrastructure to Climate Change Impacts
• International Scan on Climate Change Adaptation
• State Departments of Transportation Working to Adapt to a Changing Climate
• Transportation Adaptation’s Bearing on Planning, Systems Management, Operations, and Emergency Response
• TRB Special Task Force on Climate Change and Energy Identifies Research Needs
• United Kingdom’s Experience with Climate Change Adaptation and Transportation