Transportation Strategies to Mitigate Climate Change

Abstract

Local actions within the United States to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the transportation sector are becoming increasingly prevalent given that no definitive guidance has been provided by federal agencies in Washington, D.C. State climate change action plans not only have the potential to mitigate impacts of global warming, they also can save the economy billions of dollars and could greatly impact how governments and agencies plan transportation projects in the future. This article focuses on action plans in the Western states, examining where they have anticipated receiving the most GHG reductions while also highlighting some of the more cost effective GHG reducing strategies. The purpose is to highlight some of those states that have been in the lead, and to provide guidance to other states that are in the process of, or starting to embark on the process of creating state climate action plans. There is a strategic role to be played by transportation planners and engineers to assist states and other government agencies in developing recommendations for climate change action plans. Future actions may include interstate and regionalization of the plans and integration of surface transportation modes with aviation.