Meeting the Challenge of Institutional Fragmentation in Addressing Climate Change in Transportation Planning and Investment

Abstract

Global climate change (GCC) has emerged in recent years as the highest-profile environmental issue of the early 21st century. Transportation institutions at all levels of government face significant challenges in effectively addressing GCC in terms of both the adaptation of the transportation system to the impacts of GCC and the mitigation of transportation's contribution to GCC. These challenges stem in large part from the fragmentation of decision making within and across governmental levels, the consequent mismatch of political boundaries, and the nature of options for effectively addressing GCC. This paper discusses these challenges and proposes a conceptual framework for rethinking how transportation institutions may more effectively address the connection between transportation and GCC. It includes an assessment of the current state and metropolitan planning activities related to GCC and the perspectives of various planning practitioners from across the United States. It also articulates several of the key institutional elements necessary for a GCC-responsive transportation agency, including entrepreneurial leadership, an appropriate geographic jurisdiction, a multi-disciplinary organizational structure, appropriately aligned funding and planning structures, and adequate planning and implementation authority. Finally, it also offers several suggestions on potential research needs associated with climate change and transportation institutional change.