Adam ThornProgram Director, Transportation

Adam Thorn is the director of the Pembina Institute's transportation program and is based in Toronto. He has been an assistant professor with the University of Toronto and Toronto Metropolitan University since 2014, teaching public policy specializing in environmental policy. He has a deep understanding of how climate change impacts water governance, municipal infrastructure, and land use planning. In the past, Adam has collaborated in complex projects to advance clean water policy in municipalities in Ontario and in the Great Lakes, including working with the International Joint Commission. Adam holds a doctorate from Toronto Metropolitan University and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Western University.

Contact Adam Thorn

cell: 416-859-4108 • email: adamt@pembina.org • tweet: @Adthorn

Adam Thorn's Recent Publications

The true cost of diesel-powered medium- and heavy-duty vehicles MHDVs are a disproportionately large contributor to traffic-related air pollution

Op-ed March 20, 2024- By Adam Thorn, Sarah Butson

Diesel-powered MHDVs are a disproportionately large contributor to traffic-related air pollution. We must consider the costs of conventional road freight over its lifespan as well as the costs of air pollution-related diseases and health issues. And this cost is not insignificant. Canada’s proposed federal zero-emission vehicles regulation could result in over $90 billion in health savings over the next 25 years, including up to 11,000 avoided premature deaths.

Fast and furious Turns out electric vehicle sales remained strong throughout 2023

Blog Dec. 20, 2023- By Adam Thorn

Sales of electric cars are much healthier than recent news stories would suggest. While there have been some market wobbles, overall sales both in Canada and worldwide have been strong and are anticipated to climb in 2024. New federal sales targets will support this shift.

Canada can’t hit its net-zero goals without phasing out gas-guzzling vehicles Why did our delegates show up at COP28 without a final plan for getting us off fossil fuel-burning cars?

Op-ed Dec. 7, 2023- By Adam Thorn

At this urgent juncture in climate talks, we need to spend more time talking about cars, trucks and buses. Between 1990 and 2021, GHGs from the transport sector in Canada soared 27%. And yet, Canadian delegates at COP28 in Dubai this week have arrived without final regulations for transitioning cars and other light-duty vehicles from fossil fuel power to clean energy.

Ambitious, staggered sales mandates a key to meeting zero-emission MHDV targets Recommendation tops a set of policies Canada needs to steer the MHDV transition

Op-ed Nov. 23, 2023- By Adam Thorn

The transportation sector is responsible for nearly a quarter of Canada’s total greenhouse gas emissions. Yet the federal government still hasn’t released final regulations that will cement policies to decarbonize either passenger cars or trucks and buses. Nor is there a comprehensive plan on how we will reach the 2040 target where 100% of sales of medium- and heavy-duty trucks and buses are zero-emission vehicles.

Green Budget Coalition Recommendations for Budget 2024

Publication Nov. 17, 2023- By Jessica McIlroy, Jason Wang, Kendall Anderson, Scott MacDougall, Jan Gorski, Adam Thorn, Green Budget Coalition

The Green Budget Coalition appreciated the major federal funding announcements for climate and nature in Budget 2023 and at the UN Convention on Biological Diversity COP15 in Montreal, and urges the government to continue to seize this opportunity to transform society to address the twin climate and biodiversity crises, create sustainable jobs and ensure enduring prosperity and well-being for all.