addressing climate change adaptation in regional transportation plans

Addressing Climate Change Adaptation in Regional Transportation PlansA Guide for California MPOs and RTPAs2.0 Making the Case forCalifornia MPOs and RTPAsto Prepare for Climate Change2.1 WHAT IS CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATIONAND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?As the climate changes, the strategies that California regions must employinclude both climate adaptation and mitigation (i.e., reduction of GHGemissions). According to the 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy,adaptation refers to “efforts that respond to the impacts of climate change –adjustments in natural or human systems to actual or expected climate changesto minimize harm or take advantage of beneficial opportunities.”Why is Transportation AdaptationImportant?The potential for significant impacts to thecommunity suggest that transportationadaptation is an important consideration fortransportation planning. Emergencymanagement is dependent upon the abilityof emergency professionals having access tothe most vulnerable people and buildings.The 1906 earthquake in San Franciscodestroyed water mains, preventingfirefighters from being able to put out firesall over the City. The City of San Franciscoadapted to this experience by increasingredundancy of the water infrastructuresystem. The failure of a key route could havelong‐term economic impacts on a region.There are many examples of routes beingaffected by historical climate, and there is areal possibility for an increased number ofextreme weather events.No matter how much we reduce our GHGemissions, some changes in climate areunavoidable. Conducting proactive adaptationplanning at the local, state, and national levels canlimit the damage caused by climate change andreduce the long-term costs of responding toincreasing intensity and growing numbers ofclimate-related impacts in the upcoming years.The 2007 “Stern Review on The Economics ofClimate Change” documented that benefits ofstrong, early action on climate change considerablyoutweigh the costs. That study found that onepercent of global gross domestic product (GDP)per annum is required to be invested in order toavoid the worst effects of climate change, and thatfailure to do so could risk global GDP being up to20 percent lower than it otherwise might be (Stern,2007).It is estimated that in California, damages acrosssectors could results in “tens of billions of dollarsper year in direct costs” and “expose trillions ofdollars of assets to collateral risk” (Roland-Holstand Kahrl, 2008). Temperature extremes could increase the risk of damage tohighways and railroad tracks and a faster deterioration or failure ofCambridge Systematics, Inc. 2-1