Mission/Strategic Plan
Since its establishment as a standing committee, AV030 has demonstrated that there is a real need for an interdisciplinary forum on environmental issues associated with aviation. The committee has attracted a broad base of members and active friends, who bring together different expertise and perspectives on some of the most important challenges facing aviation today. Working with other TRB committees, AV030 has organized sessions on such cross-cutting issues as alternative fuels, wildlife hazards, and storm water management – in many cases drawing on lessons from other modes and sectors to further our understanding of how aviation can meet these challenges. As we look forward to the next three years, the members and friends of AV030 anticipate continuing to fill this role of bringing together the best research and thinking on a wide range of environmental topics to inform future policy debates on aviation.
Mission Statement:
Our mission is to promote innovation and progress in identifying, evaluating, mitigating and preventing the environmental impacts of aviation, through research and collaboration.
Scope:
In an objective and interdisciplinary setting, this Committee will actively facilitate the exchange of ideas and information on the environmental impacts of aviation among researchers and practitioners both in the U.S. and internationally; it will identify and anticipate issues and trends and their potential implications for aviation and the environment; it will provide access to expertise and supporting data relevant to environmental aviation policy, programs, processes and priorities; and it will disseminate research results broadly.
Goals:
- Foster Research: To enhance the TRB’s role in fostering and contributing significantly to research, development, and the implementation of new technologies and innovative practices dealing with aviation and environmental issues.
- Promote Collaboration: To create and promote intermodal and cross-aviation collaboration throughout the TRB community; addressing and identifying common areas of concern and interest regarding environmental issues.
- Forge International Connections: To establish and maintain links to government-, academic-and industry-supported research in aviation and the environment in other countries; recognizing that aviation is an inherently international enterprise with the potential for global economic and environmental impacts.
- Improve Communication: To contribute significantly to improved communication and awareness of issues concerning the environmental impacts of aviation, disseminate research and ideas, and to solicit opinion broadly and globally.
- Provide an Independent Resource: To make available objective information on the environmental impacts of aviation.
- Encourage Environmentally Beneficial Practices: To support actions and ideas - in equipment manufacture and operation, as well as in airport development and operation - that will reduce consumption and waste of nonrenewable resources and avoid or limit adverse impacts on the environment
- Identify Emerging Trends: To create a forum for identifying and addressing emerging trends developing in the aviation-environmental community.
Strategies:
- Approach aviation environmental issues from a cross-enterprise perspective.
- Coordinate with and include members of other TRB committees and other stakeholders in planning annual meeting sessions and other activities.
- Adopt long-term, holistic approaches to addressing issues dealing with aviation and the environment.
- Encourage development of meaningful, consistent and cross-modal environmental metrics.
- Support development and use of economic valuation methodologies in assessing environmental issues associated with aviation.
- Develop a list of priorities for cross-enterprise research in aviation and the environment.
- Act as a catalyst for identifying and disseminating information sources relevant to aviation and the environment.
- Create and facilitate a forum for cross-enterprise communication.
- Ensure that aviation environmental issues are well represented in research programs and initiatives.
- Foster cooperation in optimizing research funding prioritization for aviation and environmental issues.
Action Plan:
In each of the next three years, AV030 will:
- Sponsor at least three sessions at the Annual Meeting, addressing aviation environmental issues from a cross-enterprise perspective. (strategy a.)
- Solicit co-sponsors from Aviation Group, Environment and Energy and other relevant committees and support the development of sessions by these committees that address issues of interest to AV030. (strategy b.)
- Update the publication “Critical Issues in Aviation and the Environment” to reflect the current state of research and add areas of emerging interest. (strategies a., f. g., and i.).
- Hold mid-year committee meetings that are structured to allow the free flow of ideas and sharing of information among members, friends and guests. (strategies a., b., g., and h.)
- Extend invitations to annual AV030 committee meeting and sessions to other TRB committees with shared interests; and identify AV030 members and friends to act as liaisons to these committees. (strategies b., h.)
Over the next three years AV030 will:
- Follow up on past sessions with more in-depth or broader explorations of the issues through papers, additional sessions and/or workshops. (strategy c.)
- Sponsor or co-sponsor two or more full-day workshops on broad issues of major interest in aviation and the environment (e.g., alternative fuels, climate change). (strategies c., g., and h.)
- Disseminate information about and provide input as appropriate to the Airport Cooperative Research Program (strategy i.)
- Issue a call for papers and sponsor a session highlighting cross-modal environmental metrics. (strategy d.)
- Coordinate with AV040 (Aviation Economics and Forecasting) on ways to promote the development and use of economic valuation methods in assessing environmental impacts. (strategy e.)
- Coordinate with ADH-65 (Winter Maintenance) to further the exchange of information about pavement de-icing practices and associated environmental issues in the highway and aviation contexts. (strategies a., b. and h)
- Identify and publicize research gaps in aviation and the environment. (strategy j.)
- Publicize the work of AV030 through the web site, “Critical Issues in Aviation and the Environment” publication, and various professional and academic avenues to ensure continued expansion of the pool from which members may be drawn in the future.
|
