In the last decade, climate change has risen to prominence as a significant social and political issue in the United States. Scientists have... » More

In the last decade, climate change has risen to prominence as a significant social and political issue in the United States. Scientists have identified the environmental dangers of climate change and warned that without swift remedial action, irreversible damage will likely occur. Progressive planning practices are crucial to reversing the current trends that have exacerbated the greenhouse effect, especially in the transportation sector.

In the San Diego region, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) is responsible for many aspects of transportation planning, particularly public transportation. As the regional governing council, it is up to SANDAG to establish goals and regulations by which local entities must follow. The aim of this project is to examine how the recent focus on climate change has affected regional transportation planning, particularly in the actions of SANDAG. This research reveals that the prominence of climate change has led to increased collaboration between the scientific and planning communities, the fostering of inter-agency and inter-regional collaboration, and the implementation of projects utilizing alternative and innovative transportation technology.

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