DOT Climate Change Center
About
The DOT Climate Change Center is the focal point for policy and action on climate change within the Department. The Center is co-chaired by the policy and research units within the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) and its membership is comprised of the DOT operating administrations and OST offices. 
Through strategic research, policy analysis, partnerships, coordination and outreach, the Center creates comprehensive and multi-modal approaches to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gases (GHG) and to improve the resilience of the transportation system to climate change impacts. The DOT Climate Change Center plays a key role in implementing the climate and sustainability goal in the US DOT Strategic Plan.
USDOT established the DOT Climate Change Center in 1999. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (Public Law 110-140), Section 1101, formally established the Center as the Office of Climate Change and Environment. It is codified in 49 USC Section 102(g).
View the Center’s Charter and the Center's Strategic Plan.
Announcements
Transportation Resilience 2023: International Conference on Extreme Weather and Climate Change Challenges, November 13-15, 2023 in Washington, DC. USDOT is a sponsor for this conference.
Research
The Center and the USDOT National Transportation Library maintain the Transportation and Climate Change Clearinghouse, which is a curated collection of information on transportation and climate change issues, and provides monthly bibliographies of the latest research.
The DOT RD&T Strategic Plan 2022-2026 sets USDOT’s research agenda and grand challenge for Climate and Sustainability along with four other goals. Learn more about DOT research.
DOT Climate Change Policies
Policy Statement on Buy Clean Initiative
Policy Statement on Climate Adaptation
Operating Administration Climate Change Websites
The DOT Climate Change Center coordinates climate change related actions across the Department of Transportation. Since much of the implementation takes place at the level of the operating administrations within the Department, important content related to implementation of climate change actions can be found on the operating administration webpages below.
Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Climate Change Website
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Environmental Programs Website and Aviation Climate Action Plan
Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Energy and Emissions Website and Resilience Website
Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Climate Change Website
Maritime Administration (MARAD) Maritime Environmental and Technical Assistance (META) Program
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Corporate Average Fuel Economy
Joint Office of Energy and Transportation
Climate Challenges
The U.S. Department of Transportation developed climate challenges for different modes of transportation (aviation, public transportation, highway, and rail) to encourage and support transportation stakeholders in taking aggressive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Public Transportation Climate Challenge - Sustainable Transit for a Healthy Planet Challenge
Highways Climate Challenge - Quantifying Emissions of Sustainable Pavements
Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge
DOT Funding Programs and Climate Change
Most DOT funding programs have eligibilities for transportation climate solutions. Some programs have a focus on climate change. Learn more.
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Guidance
The Council on Environmental Quality issued guidance to assist agencies in analyzing greenhouse gas and climate change effects of their proposed actions under NEPA.
Council on Environmental Quality Guidance on Consideration of Climate Change in NEPA
National Performance Measure
To help address the climate crisis, FHWA proposes to amend its regulations governing national performance management measures to require State departments of transportation (State DOTs) and metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs) to establish carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction targets and to establish a method for measurement and reporting.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions Performance Measure Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
DOT Climate Action Plan for Resilience
DOT Climate Action Plan – 2022 Progress Report
Training and Technical Assistance
DOT offers training and a variety of technical assistance options to help tribal, state, local, and private sector transportation agencies reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve climate resilience. Learn more.