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Adaptation Planning at
ODOT
ODOT’s Climate Change Adaptation
Strategy Report and Future
Planning
Liz Hormann
Sustainability Planner
Oregon Global Warming Commission
June 29, 2012
Mitigation Versus Adaptation
 Mitigation is any action taken to eliminate
or reduce the long-term risk and hazards
of climate change.
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
 Adaptation is adjustment in natural or
human systems to a new or changing
environment caused by climate change.
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Adapting is taking “practical steps to protect
communities from the likely disruption and
damage that will result from effects of
climate change.”
- United Nations Convention on Climate Change Secretariat
Three Related Efforts Regarding
Adaptation in Oregon:
1. Oregon Climate Assessment
Report (OCAR)
2. Oregon Climate Change
Adaptation Framework
3. ODOT’s Adaptation Efforts
Development of the Strategy
• Research:
– Climate Science
– Best Adaptation Practices
– ODOT internal interviews
• Consultation and input:
– ODOT Climate Change Technical Advisory Committee
– Subject matter experts within ODOT
KEY Message: Climate change will impact all
aspects of the agency, therefore adaptation
will require all ODOT staff to work together.
Potential Impacts to ODOT Assets
and Systems Operations
Coastal
Changes in Air
Temperature
Erosion
Hazard Trees
Wave
Heights
Wildfire
Sea Level Rise
Changes in
Precipitation
Storm Intensity
Social Impacts
Flooding
Population
Movement
Extreme Storm
Events
Landslides and
Rockfalls
Changes in Seasonal Flow Rates
Changes in vegetation
and wildlife species
Precipitation, Flooding,
Landslides
Climate Impacts
• Summer precipitation
decrease by 5-15% What it Means for ODOT
• Winter precipitation • Flooded and washed-out
roadways
increase by 15-30%
• Increase in extreme • Bridge scour
daily precipitation
• Landslides
events
• Traffic delays - safety
• Large
financial
cost
Wildfire Risk
Climate Impact
• Expected increase
in wildfire activity
in all major forest
types
• Region forest area
burned is estimated
to increase
between 180 and
300%
What it Means for
ODOT
• Road closures
• Erosion issues along
road slopes
• Extreme heat
impacts
• Driver safety issues
(smoke)
Adaptive Capacity
The general ability of institutions,
systems, and individuals to
adjust to potential damage
from climate change, to take
advantage of opportunities, or
to cope with the
consequences. – IPCC, 2007
Examples of ODOT’s
Existing Capacity
– Fish Passage Regulation
– Alerts and Warnings
– Pavement Technologies
Where can adaptation fit into
existing programs?
• Emergency Response
– Tsunami Planning
– Oregon Emergency Management (OEM)
• Design Standards
– Earthquake Standards
– Additional Safety Factors
• Asset Management
– Inform vulnerability and risk
assessments
ODOT Adaptation Planning Framework
Climate Science
and Projections
In Oregon
ODOT
Interim
Adaptation
Strategy
Inventory of
ODOT Assets
Analyze
Vulnerability
Of ODOT’s
Assets &
Operations
Assess
Integrated
Risk of
Climate
Change for
ODOT
Evaluate, Monitor, Reassess
ODOT
Adaptation
Plan
Identify,
Prioritize,
Implement
Adaptation
Options for
ODOT
Next Steps: Vulnerability and Risk
Assessment
• Where are we most vulnerable?
• How can we aid future decisionmaking?
• Phase I – Statewide Assessment
• Phase II –
in-depth assessment
of high vulnerable
areas
Vulnerability and Risk Assessments
Questions?
Liz Hormann
Sustainability Planner
Oregon Department of Transportation
Sustainability Program
Phone: (503) 986-4184
Email:
[email protected]