LECTURE 2
Introduction to Sustainability
Sustainability
What Is encompasses a holistic
Sustainability? consideration of economic,
social, and environmental
progress over the long
term.
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What Is Sustainability?
• The United Nations Brundtland Commission (1987) defined
sustainable development as “development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs”
• Transportation agencies/the transportation sector should
address sustainability within their specific transportation context
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Sustainability Triple Bottom Line (TBL)
Sustainability has three primary focus areas:
Economy Society Environment
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Sustainability Triple Bottom Line (TBL) (continued)
Transportation and TBL:
• Economy — depends on accessible and efficient movement of
people and commerce
• Society — well-being depends on accessible and efficient
transportation services, but transportation may intrude on
community life
• Environment — does not benefit from transportation, so
regulations are needed to mitigate negative impacts
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Sustainability Principles and Equity
• Fundamental principles of
sustainability:
• Preserving and restoring environmental and
ecological systems
• Fostering community health and vitality
• Promoting economic development and
prosperity
• Ensuring equity among population groups
over generations
• Equity connects each element of triple
bottom line sustainability Source: NCHRP Report 708:A Guidebook for Sustainability Performance Measurement for
Transportation Agencies. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/14598
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Energy consumption and climate change
• Transportation is a major consumer of energy,
producing greenhouse gas emissions linked to
climate change
Habitat
• Transportation affects adjacent habitat, impedes
wildlife movement, and changes wildlife distribution
Impacts of Water quality
Transportation • Transportation impacts water quality through
temperature changes, erosion, sediment, and site
pollutants
Hydrologic cycle
• Highway construction can affect stormwater runoff
and the amount of water infiltrated back into the
ground
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Air quality
• Materials production, construction equipment, and
fugitive dust can impact local air quality
Impacts of Mobility and access
Transportation • Transportation may cause traffic congestion and road
(continued) closures, affecting mobility and access for people and
freight
Community
• Transportation may have local community impacts
related to employment, mobility, access, inconvenience,
and more
Non-renewable resources
• Transportation uses a significant amount of non-
renewable natural resources
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Sustainability and Emerging Transportation Trends
Mobility Autonomy
Electrification Connectivity
Transformation
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Sustainability and Emerging Transportation Trends
Opportunities Challenges
• Safety and security via reduced crashes, especially through
connectivity and autonomy • Ensuring equity in
distribution of
• Efficient and reliable travel via mitigation of road congestion
through connectivity, autonomy, and mobility benefits in the
emerging trends
• Increased transportation options for seniors, minors, disabled, and and their
low-income residents through mobility and autonomy
associated
• Climate change and sustainability via reduced vehicle ownership opportunities
or single-occupancy vehicle mode share through mobility and
reduced vehicle emissions through electrification
• Sustainable development via reduced parking demand and dense
land development through mobility and autonomy
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Key Points
Sustainability has social, economic, Balancing of sustainability dimensions
and environmental dimensions is necessary
Must include human well-being It is a challenge to address all three
with a healthy environment within dimensions simultaneously
a framework of time and money
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Key Points (continued)
Sustainability is context sensitive Sustainability elevates the value of
human and environmental health in
Situations vary, so there is no list of
the long term
universal best practices
Historically, sustainability has been
given lower priority when compared to
first costs of a project
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Key Points (continued)
Sustainability implies Sustainability goes beyond the Sustainability constantly evolves
improvement bare minimum
What was once considered
Transportation stakeholders Regulations and standard practice innovative ultimately becomes
should seek constant improvement reflect the bare minimum standard practice, so sustainability
of existing practices to make requirements, so sustainability must must improve upon itself
progress improve upon that
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LECTURE 2
Introduction to Sustainability
