Transportation

10:45AM - 12:05PM

At 28%, the U.S. transportation sector has eclipsed power plants to become the largest contributor to the United States’ greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventory. Much has been reported on the rapidly growing deployment of light-duty electric vehicles, and with this experience, we are understanding more about the social and economic opportunities and implications of electrifying a large portion of the U.S. fleet. Likewise, with GHG contributions from the aviation, maritime, and heavy-duty road transportation sectors at significant and growing levels, effective mitigation technologies and policies are needed in these sectors.

A variety of mitigation technologies may be needed to decarbonize multimodal freight (e.g., ships, rail, and road), and specialized technologies may best address freight and passenger aviation GHGs. Effective polices may need to consider the common economic service of these modes while recognizing differences in technology design, adoption, and operations.


James Corbett

University of Delaware

Associate Director, Marine Policy and Professor

Dr. Corbett is focused on technology policy innovation for 21st Century freight systems, with a focus on international shipping and coastal marine policy. He has more than 20 years’ experience providing engineering, technology, and policy studies to industry, government, and other organizations.

Carla Frisch

Rocky Mountain Institute

Principal at RMI working on America’s Pledge

America’s Pledge brings together private and public sector leaders to ensure the United States remains a global leader in reducing emissions and delivers the country’s ambitious climate goals of the Paris Agreement. Carla has directed policy and analysis offices focused on climate and environment, energy efficiency, renewable energy, clean transportation, and electricity systems.

Nancy Young

Airlines for America

Vice President, Environmental Affairs for Airlines for America (A4A)

An environmental attorney, Young directs the A4A environmental sustainability programs, represents the A4A airlines in international negotiations regarding aircraft noise and emissions standards, and provides counsel on other environmental issues of significance.

Dan Becerra

IEEE-USA / AAAS STPF (Moderator)

Congressional Fellow

Dan works on energy and climate change policy, with a focus on clean transportation and energy efficiency in the Office of Senator Jeff Merkley. He earned his Ph.D. in Materials at UC Santa Barbara in 2016 where his work focused on developing energy efficient lighting technologies.


Elizabeth Zeitler

National Academies Board (Reporter)

Senior Program Officer, National Academies Board on Energy and Environmental Systems

Beth is a globally-experienced energy and transportation analyst, providing science-informed, actionable advice to private and public sector decision makers. As a Senior Program Officer of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, she leads studies on key areas of domestic and global energy policy for the Board on Energy and Environmental Systems.

Read-ahead Materials:

  • Farrell, A. E., Keith, D. W. & Corbett, J. J. A strategy for introducing hydrogen into transportation. Energy Policy 31, 1357–1367 (2003) Link
  • Thomson, H., Corbett, J. J. & Winebrake, J. J. Natural gas as a marine fuel. Energy Policy 87, 153–167 (2015) Link
  • Corbett, J. J., Winebrake, J. J. Environmental issues in international trade and transportation. in Handbook of International Trade and Transportation (eds. Blonigen, B.A. & Wilson, W.) (Edward Elgar Publishing, 2018) Link
  • Vaishnav, P., Fischbeck, P. S., Morgan, M. G. & Corbett, J. J. Shore Power for Vessels Calling at U.S. Ports: Benefits and Costs. Environ. Sci. Technol. 50, (2016) Link
  • Winebrake, J.J., Green, E.H., Carr, E.W., An Assessment of Macroeconomic Impacts of Medium- and Heavy-duty Electric Transportation Technologies in the United States, Energy and Environmental Research Associates (EERA), 11 April 2018 Link
  • Corbett, J.J.; Ghosh, A.; Hawker, J. S.; Korfmacher, K.; Lee, E. E.; Silberman, J.; Winebrake, J.J. Infrastructure Performance Improvement to Reduce Corridor Delays for Freight Flows: Application of Geospatial Intermodal Freight Transportation Model; University of Delaware and Rochester Institute of Technology, November 2010 . Link