Transport and Climate Change

This book surveys the impact of the transportation sector on accelerated climate change and the main solutions that have been proposed over the years to address the problem. The examples of these solutions include, but are not limited to, emission reduction targets, electrification of the transportation sector, elimination of vehicles with traditional fossil fuel engines, renewable energy sources, and introduction of emission control measures. Some of these solutions are quite difficult to implement due to the associated costs. Certain approaches may seem rather ambitious and need more thorough assessment.

Urban areas are substantially impacted by greenhouse gas emissions produced by the transportation sector. Global warming and rapid urbanization are all contributing factors that heighten the likelihood of compound extreme weather events. As climate change events become more frequent and intense, communities around the world become increasingly vulnerable due to their everyday dependence on transportation systems.

The book presents innovative mitigation and adaptation strategies that reduce the future effects of climate change resulting from the transportation sector and promote adaptive transport systems to minimize human as well as economic losses caused by climate change. The new strategies are inspired by intelligent supply chain management solutions, transportation network operational alternatives, and sustainability-driven interdisciplinary approaches. The book emphasizes low-risk and high-payoff solutions.

Maxim A. Dulebenets is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director in Civil & Environmental Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. He holds B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in Railway Construction from Moscow State University of Railroad Engineering and M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees in Civil Engineering (Transportation) from the University of Memphis. His research spans operations research, optimization, simulation modeling, NP-hard problems, metaheuristics, transportation engineering, freight logistics, railroads, liner shipping, and GPS data processing. Dr. Dulebenets has contributed to research projects totaling ~$19.5M (~$2.9M as PI), funded by agencies including the U.S. Department of Defense, DOT, NSF, FHWA, FDOT, TDOT, CN Railway, FedEx, and others. He reviews for over 250 international journals and ranks #14 globally in Logistics & Transportation (2024 Scopus c-score). His work appears in top journals such as International Journal of Production Economics, Information Sciences, and IEEE Transactions on Intelligent Transportation Systems. He is active in 10+ TRB committees, a Senior Member of IEEE, and a licensed Professional Engineer in Michigan.

Szymon Wiśniewski is an Associate Professor at the University of Łódź, Vice Dean for Development and Promotion in Socio-Economic Geography and Spatial Management, and Director of the Research Centre for European Spatial Policy and Local Development. His research focuses on transport infrastructure, urban logistics, accessibility, mobility, intelligent transport systems, and traffic engineering. His studies address low-emission zones, flood-sensitive transport systems, and mobility shifts due to Sunday trade restrictions. As Vice Dean, he oversees research alignment, impact documentation, and reporting. He has authored 130+ publications, including four monographs, and led projects funded by NCN and NAWA. His academic background includes degrees in Spatial Management, Logistics, Spatial Economy, and Geographical Sciences, with postgraduate studies in Traffic Engineering and National Security. He teaches courses on transport planning and spatial development.

Marta Borowska-Stefańska is an Associate Professor and Deputy Director at the Institute of Built Environment and Spatial Policy, University of Łódź. Her research covers flood risk, evacuation, spatial development, mobility, transport geography, and GIS. She holds degrees in Geography and Spatial Management, a Ph.D. in Geographical Sciences, and postgraduate studies in National Security. She has authored 100+ publications, including three monographs, and led NCN and NAWA-funded projects. She collaborates internationally with researchers from the USA, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Romania, and Sweden. She has participated in 30+ international conferences and reviews for journals such as Transportation Research Part D, Safety Science, and Environmental Hazards. Since 2010, she has taught at the Faculty of Geographical Sciences, supervising numerous theses and projects in Spatial Information Systems and Transport Geography.