Planning for Systems Management & Operations as part of Climate Change Adaptation

5. Conclusions

The paper begins to explore the effects of climate change on operations. Effects are going to manifest both due to specific weather events/phenomena but also long term trends in air temperature. The link between weather events and climate is not simplistic, but recent severe weather events point to the challenges posed to operations. The scale, frequency, and intensity of events will change how operation agencies are organized and function in the country. Similarly, long-term trends will result in behavior changes and changes to freight operations that may tax operating agencies in different ways. While many questions remain, the role of operations as part of overall climate change adaptation needs to be emphasized.