| The Department of Transportation and Its Role in Climate Research |
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The Department of Transportation (DOT) conducts research and uses existing science to improve decision-making tools to address climate change. DOT supports research that 1) examines the potential impacts of climate variability and change on transportation infrastructure and services, 2) examines increasing energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gases, and 3) improves transportation greenhouse gas data and modeling. DOT has many programs that have either direct or indirect climate benefits, and is working to develop cross-modal strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. DOT’s Climate Change Center is the Department’s focal point for information and technical expertise on climate change. The Center coordinates research, policies, and actions related to transportation and climate change with DOT’s component organizations. Supporting DOT’s core goals of safety, mobility, environmental stewardship, and security, the Center promotes comprehensive approaches to reduce greenhouse gases, to prepare for the potential impacts of climate change, and to develop necessary adaptations to transportation operations and infrastructure. The Center supports the program goals through these objectives. Specifically, the Center aims to inform Goal 4 by identifying and providing scientific inputs for evaluating adaptation options and Goal 5 by supporting adaptive management and planning for physical infrastructure sensitive to climate variability and change. In addition to participating in the Center, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has programs to assess and identify potential measures to reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. FAA conducts research to support Goal 2, leveraging research with other U.S. Government agencies to reduce uncertainties surrounding aviation emissions and their effect on climate change. For example, FAA research through the Partnership for Air Transportation Noise and Emissions Reduction (PARTNER) Center of Excellence addresses the impact of aircraft contrails on climate change. FAA also participates heavily in the work program of the International Civil Aviation Organization's Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection, and provides technical expertise and date to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). |
