Flagship project
Green Roads Toolkit for ADB projects in Asia and the Pacific
The Green Roads Toolkit, developed by the Asian Development Bank in collaboration with GOPA Pro and the International Road Federation, is a comprehensive collection of good practices designed to support the planning, design, construction, and management of sustainable and environmentally friendly roads.
The challenge
Asia and the Pacific are rapidly expanding their road networks, with 21 million kilometers already built and an additional 8 million expected by 2030. While roads are essential for economic growth and connectivity, their environmental and social impacts are significant. They contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, habitat fragmentation, water disruption, pollution, and the unsustainable use of construction materials. These negative effects threaten climate resilience, public health, and ecosystem integrity, requiring a fundamental shift in road development practices.
Our goal
Our goal was to make green road thinking a standard practice in infrastructure planning and asset management across the region. Through practical tools and a clear framework, the project supported governments, development partners, and transport professionals in aligning road investments with climate action and sustainability. The approach contributed to ADB's Strategy 2030 vision by transforming roads from environmental challenges into solutions that enhance mobility, strengthen resilience, regenerate ecosystems, and improve lives.
Our approach
The project aimed to transform roads from environmental liabilities into drivers of positive change by promoting more sustainable and resilient road development. GOPA Pro and the International Road Federation (IRF), in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), developed the Green Roads Toolkit for Asia and the Pacific. The Toolkit brought together more than 150 good practices to support greener roads across nine dimensions, including climate resilience, water and land management, biodiversity conservation, decarbonization, sustainable materials, pollution reduction, and inclusive growth. The Toolkit was piloted in ADB projects in Tajikistan and India, helping refine its application and support future green road investments across the region.
Impact in numbers
The Green Roads Toolkit provides governments, development partners, and transport practitioners with a practical approach to integrate sustainability considerations into road planning, design, and asset management. By bringing together good practices, assessment tools, and implementation guidance, the Toolkit supports decision-makers in identifying context-specific solutions to improve climate resilience, reduce environmental impacts, and enhance the long-term sustainability of road investments. The Toolkit was piloted in two ADB-funded road projects in Tajikistan and Maharashtra, India, demonstrating its practical application in real project contexts. Through stakeholder consultations, field assessments, and technical reviews, the Toolkit supported project teams in identifying opportunities related to climate adaptation, biodiversity protection, water management, decarbonization, and sustainable materials. The pilots showed that green road approaches can be integrated into ongoing road projects and provide a structured way for stakeholders to assess opportunities and prioritize practical interventions. The experience gained from these applications helped further refine the Toolkit and inform its future use in supporting greener infrastructure investments across Asia and the Pacific.
Key highlights
- Key project highlights included the development of a shared vision for green roads in Asia and the Pacific and the identification of priority themes, intervention areas, and good practices to support more sustainable road development
- The project documented and organized best practices into an Excel-based Green Roads Toolkit, enabling practitioners to identify suitable approaches based on project characteristics, priorities, and local context
- A backcasting exercise was conducted to define the enabling environment required for successful green road implementation, including the development of a tool to assess national-level readiness and maturity
- The Toolkit was piloted in two ADB-funded projects in Tajikistan and Maharashtra, India, allowing the team to refine its content and practical application
- The project also explored financing opportunities to support the uptake and scaling of green road investments
- In addition, GOPA Pro and ADB co-organized a Green Roads webinar series, bringing together experts and practitioners to share experiences, raise awareness, build capacity, and introduce the Toolkit and its practices to a wider audience
Voices from the field
Our focus now is not only on moving cars but also on shaping sustainable futures for our developing member countries.
The Green Roads Toolkit will guide project teams in recommending interventions that support the alignment of road investments with the Paris Agreement.
Success story
Dangara–Gulestan Road
The Dangara–Gulestan Road project in Tajikistan demonstrated how existing road investments can be enhanced through green road principles. As part of the pilot application of the Green Roads Toolkit, project stakeholders reviewed the road corridor to identify opportunities to improve sustainability and climate resilience.
Through field visits, technical discussions, and consultations with local stakeholders, the project team explored practical measures related to climate adaptation, water management, biodiversity conservation, sustainable materials, and emissions reduction. The process helped bring together different perspectives and encouraged a more integrated approach to road development.
The recommendations from the Toolkit provided project stakeholders with practical options to strengthen the environmental performance of the road, including nature-based solutions, improved drainage approaches, and opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint of construction activities.
The pilot showed that green road approaches are not only relevant for new infrastructure planning but can also support improvements in projects that are already under preparation, helping decision-makers move towards more resilient and sustainable transport systems.
Green Roads Toolkit pilot · Tajikistan
Special features
Green Roads Toolkit
The Green Roads Toolkit is an essential collection of good practices intended to inform the development and management of sustainable and eco-friendly roads. It serves as a comprehensive compendium of green roads measures for guiding the planning, development, construction, and management of roads. The toolkit sets out interventions and good practices under nine dimensions including decarbonization, climate resilience, water and land management, pollution reduction, improving quality of life, conserving biodiversity, disaster preparedness, responsible sourcing of materials, and fostering inclusive growth.
Open call for green road practices
The project launched a global open call to crowdsource green road practices, gathering valuable contributions from practitioners worldwide.
Videos from the field
Impressions
