Infrastructure development is usually anchored to natural resources and the stakes are high for countries that are at the receiving end – both in the form of tax and royalty revenues through investments, and the indirect effects of roads and other infrastructure that could lead to negative social and economic impacts (such as higher cost of living and reliance on one sector of the economy that is vulnerable to shocks).

 

The direct effects on ecosystems lead to habitat loss, species loss and road kill. Hydrological impacts are often not factored in with insufficient investment in the long term to build and maintain roads that last in tropical regions. Secondary effects include poaching, illegal activities related to timber and mining, and wildfires.

It is pressing to identify places where roads would be beneficial, such as when it allows farmers to have access to urban markets and latest agricultural technologies in a world where global food demand is projected to double by 2050.

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New infrastructure can yield sizeable social and economic benefits with only limited environmental costs, and roads can provide rural residents with better access to health care, schools, and employment opportunities, while encouraging private investment that is designed to ensure equitable benefits.