Transport sector adaptation: actions and prospects

Abstract

Governments so far have focused on mitigation strategies to reduce GHG emissions, on the grounds that they reduce the level of adaptation required in the future and prevent costly impacts. Mitigation has been referred to as the number one preparedness strategy. However, in view of the increased uncertainty and economic hardship worldwide that prevents governments spending and the quick pace of arrival of the anticipated adverse effects from climate change, growing attention is placed now on adaptation in the form of preventive actions that will enhance intra- and cross-sectorial resilience in all sectors of the economy. This paper focuses on the transport sector - a key economic sector of today's society and aims to examine the issues and prospects related to the adaptation of this sector in order to face the future climate change related events. In other words what will be the main issues, constraints, and policy guidelines that will help reduce the vulnerability of today's transport systems against actual or expected extreme weather events (EWE) and other natural hazards (NH) that will result from the changing climate in the planet.