Skip to content
DOT tab

Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse

  • Home
  • Resources: Conferences and Presentations

Resources

Conferences and Presentations

Webinar: DOT Report to Congress, "Transportation's Role in Reducing U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions"
Occurred Wednesday, June 16, 2010
The report analyzes greenhouse gas emission levels and trends from all modes of transportation in the United States.
Climate Change Science Overview: Asset Management and Adaptation to Climate Change Webinar (April 2009) (PDF 1.63mb)
Robert Kafalenos, United States Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration
Designing Flexibility into the U.S. Transportation System: Adapting to the Challenges of Climate Change (April 2009) (PDF 1.72mb)
Michael D. Meyer, Georgia Institute of Technology
Evaluating Carbon Taxes as an Energy Conservation and Emission Reduction Strategy (2009)
Litman, Todd Alexander. Transportation Research Board 88th Annual Meeting
Carbon taxes are based on fossil fuel carbon content, and therefore tax carbon dioxide emissions. In July 2008 British Columbia introduced the first carbon tax in North America. This paper evaluates this tax. BC's new tax reflects key carbon tax principles: it is broad, gradual, predictable, and structured to assist low-income people. It begins small and increases gradually, allowing consumers and businesses to respond with increased energy efficiency. Revenues are returned to residents and businesses in ways that protect the lowest income households. Like most new taxes, the carbon tax has been widely criticized. Much of this criticism is technically incorrect or exaggerated. Consumers have many possible ways to conserve energy and therefore reduce their tax burden. Since lower-income households tend to consume less than average amounts of fuel and receive targeted rebates, most low-income households will benefit overall. This tax supports economic development by encouraging energy conservation which keeps money circulating within the regional economy. British Columbia's carbon tax shows true leadership. If other jurisdictions follow, its impacts and benefits will be huge.
Fuel Costs, Circulation Taxes, and Car Market Shares: Implications for Climate Policy (2009)
Vance, Colin; Mehlin, Markus. Transportation Research Board 88th Annual Meeting
In addition to efficiency standards and consumer information, car-related taxes constitute one of three pillars of the European Commission's strategy to reduce CO2 emissions from passenger cars. A longstanding question concerns the effectiveness of such taxes in determining car-purchasing behavior. Several recent studies suggest that purchases are primarily determined by retail costs rather than by taxes, the latter of which are typically incurred over the lifetime of the car. Using panel data on new-car registrations in Germany, Europe's largest car market, the present paper addresses this issue with an econometric analysis of the impact of fuel costs and circulation taxes on car market shares.
UC Davis Biennial Conference on Transportation and Climate Policy
UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-15)
The Department of Transportation participated in the 15th Session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-15) in Copenhagen, Denmark, December 7-18th, 2009. You can find more information about COP-15 at http://www.cop15.state.gov/ and the following DOT presentations from the event.

Top of page