Transportation Resilience: Adaptation to Climate Change (2016)

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35c l o s i n g s e s s i o n a n d f i n a l r e m a r k s • Assessing the behavior of travelers under extreme weather events and emergency conditions; • Accounting for prevailing new technologies and new modes of transport (e.g., cooperative intelligent transportation systems, automated and autonomous vehicles, electromobility) as well as dependencies between transport networks and networks of other facilities (e.g., electricity networks); • Integrating climate change–related parameters and uncertainty aspects into transport planning; • Adopting dynamic adaptation planning, as opposed to long-term planning; • Improving the scale and level of detail of modeling tools to allow better decision support; • Integrating risk planning and risk management in transport systems planning and adaptation; • Integrating resilience aspects into sustainable urban mobility planning; • Modeling the interactions, including cooperation and conflicts, between relevant stakeholders; • Developing support tools to facilitate cooperation and to assist decision makers and stakeholders; • Maintaining global perspectives for all aspects of adaptation of transport networks to climate change; and • Examining a horizontal topic focused on ensuring the availability, reliability, and use of data to support rigorous research and robust scientific results. Closing Comments from sPonsors Magdalena Kopczynska, Kevin Womack, and Neil Pedersen Magdalena Kopczynska provided closing comments from the EU. She noted that the symposium goals pre- sented by Clara de la Torre in the opening session had been accomplished. First, the current state of research on transport adaptation was reviewed and discussed. Second, research gaps and potential research were con- sidered, including topics for trans-Atlantic cooperation. Third, the lively discussions in the breakout groups and the closing session focused on stimulating more research and fostering innovation. Kopczynska reported that the possible research top- ics will be helpful in developing future research agen- das. She noted that there are differences in approaches to adaptation and mitigation in Europe and the United States and that the mutual exchange of experiences can enrich both communities. The EU Horizon 2020 pro- gram already has a focus on climate change adaptation that could allow a quick agreement on collaboration potential. She commented that the discussions in the breakout groups on approaches transport agencies can use to respond to the impacts of extreme weather events, as well as possible policy implications, were beneficial. Kopczynska suggested that the symposium goals related to fostering trans-Atlantic cooperation, identify- ing cross-disciplinary research opportunities, and pro- moting ongoing information sharing had also been met. The TRB follow-up activities would be very beneficial for the dissemination of the symposium outcome. The symposium results will also be communicated at differ- ent EU transport research venues. She commented that twinning is the best approach for trans-Atlantic research collaboration. She also suggested that climate change is a cross-disciplinary topic, as is smart transport in the EU Research and Innovation Framework Programme. According to Kopczynska, the symposium goal of increasing the relevance of research for practitioners had also been met. The symposium included a good mix of individuals from road, transit, aviation, and water trans- port modes, as well as agencies at the local, state, and national levels. She commented that the social aspects of climate change were important and that transport has a role to play in addressing potential social issues. She also noted the potential for technology to enable innovative adaptation strategies as well as assisting with communi- cating with diverse groups. In conclusion, Kopczynska expressed strong interest in continuing the symposiums. She noted that the top- ics of the three previous symposiums—city logistics, the implementation of research, and automated road trans- port—were all important. She stressed the importance of ongoing trans-Atlantic research collaboration and the benefits realized from the EU, U.S. DOT, and TRB part- nerships. Kevin Womack provided closing comments from the U.S. DOT. He voiced support for continuing the symposiums for another 4 years. He thanked the EU representatives for hosting this symposium and for their leadership in ongoing trans-Atlantic research collaboration. Womack recognized and thanked the planning com- mittee for organizing an interesting, informative, and interactive symposium. He acknowledged the leadership of Chair Alan McKinnon and Cochair Dick Wright. He also thanked the participants for their active involve- ment throughout the symposium. Womack suggested that one of the common themes from the breakout group discussions and the closing panels was the importance of turning available data into valuable information for use by policy makers, decision makers, and practitioners. He suggested that this theme was the main underlying issue in most of the discussions and represented an essential research area. He noted that this need is present with all types of data, including trans- lating historical climate data into information for use by infrastructure designers and turning real-time data into

36 t r a n s p o r t a t i o n r e s i l i e n c e information for use by personnel needing to make imme- diate decisions in response to changing conditions. In conclusion, Womack requested feedback from sym- posium participants on follow-up activities, involvement in twinning projects, uses of information for policy making, collaboration on research, and ongoing information shar- ing. He noted the importance of documenting the benefits from the symposiums and illustrating follow-up activities. Neil Pedersen of TRB concluded by recognizing and individually thanking the members of the planning com- mittee. He stressed the outstanding job Alan McKinnon did in chairing the committee and the energy he brought to the symposium. Pedersen also recognized all other members of the planning committee. Pedersen acknowledged the outstanding support of Frank Smit from the European Commission, Monica Starnes from TRB, and Alasdair Cain from the U.S. DOT. He further thanked all the representatives from the EU, the keynote speakers, the white paper authors, and all the participants for making the symposium a success.