addressing climate change adaptation in regional transportation plans

Addressing Climate Change Adaptation in Regional Transportation PlansA Guide for California MPOs and RTPAs10.0 Module 2b: Select and ApplyClimate Information10.1 THE VALUE OF SELECTING AND APPLYINGRELEVANT CLIMATE INFORMATIONThe changing global climate influences local factors such as temperature, sealevel and the hydrologic cycle, which have significant implications for manysectors including transportation infrastructure. Understanding the magnitudeand timing of changes in local climate is essential to evaluating transportationasset vulnerability. Module 2b, intended to be carried out concurrently withModule 2a, is meant to select the appropriate climate data from state projectionsand localize them to understand the effect at the regional-scale. This sectionprovides an introduction to climate data (including how it is derived) and themodules steps through how to assess and select climate stressor data inpreparation for Module 3.The process of selecting climate change data laid out in this module is intendedto be coupled with asset inventory data collected in Module 2a to enableperformance of a vulnerability and risk assessment for transportation assets inModule 3. Together, the modules support the subsequent step by enabling theuser to overlay transportation assets with climate projections. The steps taken toextract and apply climate information will be informed by the key stressorsexpected to impact the MPO or RTPA under consideration. The followingoutlines the process of selecting and applying climate information to inform thevulnerability and adaptation analyses.Figure 10.1 provides a step-by-step guide for selecting and applying climateinformation and is described in greater detail throughout the text.Cambridge Systematics, Inc. 10-1