Summary Report: Peer Workshop on Adaptation to Climate Change Impacts

Appendix B - MPOs, DOTs & Climate Change: Results of Peer Exchanges

Background

• Three peer workshops prior to December 2008
• Participants from MPOs and DOTs across country
• Focused on sharing information, experiences and needs
• Provide input and feedback to FHWA on climate change issues
• Documented in reports on FHWA & AMPO websites

Key Takeaways

• Minimal but slowly growing level of activity
• Wide variations across states and MPOs in priority and activities
• Lack of national goals/policies resulting in "wait and see" position among many
• Range of opinions on adequacy of tools and methods to address climate change planning needs
• Little reported focus on critical infrastructure adaptation

Themes & Issues

• Recognize that this is a global issue - our response needs to be national in scope and scale
• We need to expand the knowledge base and educate decision-makers and the public to build awareness & credibility
• We must address climate change in a multidisciplinary manner, with transport as a prominent aspect
• Climate change planning in transportation needs to be performance based and employ appropriate measures of effectiveness
• Goals & efforts across jurisdictions, institutions and economic sectors need to be harmonized
• Analytical tools and methods need to be shored up and improved to ensure credible planning and priority-setting
• Need to provide many DOTs & MPOs with financial & technical resources

To provide Feedback, Suggestions or Comments for this page contact Robert Ritter (robert.ritter@dot.gov) or Mike Culp (michael.culp@dot.gov).