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CART Research Showcase
CLIMATE ACTION RESEARCH FOR TRANSPORTATION NETWORK'S
INAUGURAL RESEARCH SHOWCASE
The Climate Action Research for Transportation Network's Inaugural Research Showcase, held in Halifax, NS, on February 9, 2024 served as an introduction to the multi-university initiative lead by Dalhousie University and funded by the Climate Action and Awareness Fund from Environment and Climate Change Canada. The event was spearheaded by Dalhousie Transportation Collaboratory (DalTRAC) and the MacEachen Institute for Public Policy and Governance. The event was an importation opportunity to celebrate a new chapter for DalTRAC, university colleagues and partners (University of British Columbia, McMaster University, and University of Toronto) and graduate students - who are eager to contribute in combating climate challenges. Universities, with their expertise and established research infrastructure, have the ability to play a key role in achieving Canada's net-zero emissions target for 2050.
David Miller, the former Mayor of the City of Toronto and author of "Solved: How the World's Great Cities are Fixing the Climate Crisis" is a leading thinker on urban issues. His keynote speech "While Nations Talk, Cities Act" emphasized the need to control policies and regulations within our cities to reduce global emissions by 50% by 2023. Cities, which occupy 2% of the world's landmass, should be thought as places for people and planned accordingly. Cities across the world are taking urgent action needed to do their fair share of reducing emissions.
Partner organizations were invited to set-up booths during the "Sustainable Transport and Climate Action" fair to share their organizations related transportation related work and programming. It was an incredible to see what climate-related transportation projects other organizations are working and and opportunity to build connections and partnerships.
Local leading industry experts, regulatory leaders, and prominent community members participated in a critical conversation surrounding "Moving People as We Grow in the Wake of the Climate Crisis." The panel discussion featured four speakers and was monitored by Dr. Ahsan Habib. Speakers included:
Tanya Davis
Vice President
Joint Regional Transportation Agency
Shannon Miedema
Director of Environment & Climate Change
Halifax Regional Municipality
Paul MacKinnon
Chief Executive Officer
Downtown Halifax Business Commission
Leslie Taylor
Provincial Coordinator
Nova Scotia Community Transportation Agency
The panel discussion addressed key issues in, and the future of transit, growth, and environmental considerations for the province of Nova Scotia.
Read more about "Moving People as We Grow in the Wake of the Climate Crisis" panel discussion here.
The research showcase concluded with a Student Poster Session, highlighting the graduate students hard work and progress on their projects. Practicing professional planners and engineers, policy-makers, academics, and fellow students were able to speak with DalTRAC graduate students and ask them questions pertaining to their current and future research including the development of innovative methods, data mining techniques, agent-based, integrated urban models, and policy scenarios to plan for climate conscience transportation and land use.
