The Department of Transportation (DOT) conducts research to examine potential climate-change impacts on transportation, methods for increasing transportation efficiency, and methods for reducing emissions that contribute to climate change. DOT’s Center for Climate Change and Environmental Forecasting coordinates transportation and climate-change research, policies, and actions within DOT and promotes comprehensive approaches to reduce emissions, address climate-change impacts, and develop adaptation strategies. DOT also contributes directly to USGCRP’s National Climate Assessment through focused research such as the Center’s Gulf Coast Studies. The Gulf Coast Phase 2 study, completed in FY 2015, developed tools to assist transportation agencies in performing climate change and extreme weather vulnerability assessments and build resilience.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) works closely with USGCRP and its participating agencies to identify and address key scientific gaps regarding aviation climate impacts and to inform mitigation solutions. Other DOT initiatives to address climate change and improve the sustainability of the U.S. transportation sector follow:
The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and other DOT agencies are undertaking climate impact and adaptation studies (including vulnerability and risk assessments), working with science agencies to develop regional climate data and projections, conducting methodological research, supporting pilot programs, and providing assistance to transportation stakeholders including state, metropolitan, and local agencies. DOT has requested funding in FY 2017 for these purposes. The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) completed seven Climate Change Adaptation Pilot studies to advance the state of the practice in adapting transit assets and operations to the impacts of climate change. These tools will help transportation agencies to consider improved resiliency and reliability of the transportation system in transportation planning, asset management and project development.
The FAA manages the Continuous Lower Energy, Emissions, and Noise (CLEEN) program as a government–industry consortium to develop technologies for energy efficiency, noise and emissions reduction, and sustainable alternative jet fuel. FAA also participates in the Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels Initiative (CAAFI), a public–private coalition to encourage the development of sustainable alternative jet fuel.