The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative has drawn international attention for the scale of its vision. But a decade on from the largest financial crisis in living memory, just how risky is this venture?
Having existed for 140 million years, the forests of Borneo are the largest remaining rainforests in South East Asia.
Yet the Kalimantan Economic Corridor threatens to decimate the forest that remains.
The Leuser Ecosystem in northern Sumatra, Indonesia is unique—the last place on Earth where Orangutans, Tigers, Elephants, and Rhinos still survive together.
At James Cook University, we work with governments, research groups and local communities in developing countries, promoting smarter development that is better for both people and nature.
View a selection of the presentations our researchers have given to promote the benefits of sustainable infrastructure to governments, research groups, and local communities.
The 21st century is seeing an unprecedented expansion of roads
At least 25 million kilometers of new roads are expected worldwide by 2050—enough to circle the Earth over 600 times
90% of all road construction is occurring in developing nations, including many regions with exceptional biodiversity and vital ecosystem services
Roads penetrating into Earth’s remaining wildernesses are a major driver of habitat loss and fragmentation, wildfires, overhunting, and other environmental degradation
Much road construction is chaotic or poorly planned
Not all roads are environmentally detrimental
Roads or road improvements in areas where most native vegetation has already been removed, and where farming yields are low, can help to improve agriculture and local livelihoods with limited environmental costs
We are seeking volunteers to assist us in digitizing (tracing) new road infrastructure and classifying road attributes in Google Earth. You can do this from home with a computer and internet connection by downloading the free Google Earth application and utilizing spatial data sets that we will provide.
Join our researchers in mapping all roads in the tropics and developing nations to help guide future development towards sustainable outcomes!
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The Chinese Belt and Road Initiative has drawn international attention for the scale of its vision. But a decade on from the largest financial crisis in living memory, just how risky is this venture?
Having existed for 140 million years, the forests of Borneo are the largest remaining rainforests in South East Asia.
Yet the Kalimantan Economic Corridor threatens to decimate the forest that remains.
Massive new highways will pose unprecedented environmental, social, and economic risks to some of the earths last intact tropical wilderness.
The Leuser Ecosystem in northern Sumatra, Indonesia is unique—the last place on Earth where Orangutans, Tigers, Elephants, and Rhinos still survive together.
Help stop the devastating BR-319 (Manaus-Porto Velho) Highway!
If completed, this highway will cut the Amazon rainforest in half.
Global Road Maps
At James Cook University, we work with governments, research groups and local communities in developing countries, promoting smarter development that is better for both people and nature.
Publications
Read key interviews and publications in Mongabay, Nature, Science, Current Biology & many more. View our articles in The New York Times, The Conversation, Australian Geographic & more.
Presentations
View a selection of the presentations our researchers have given to promote the benefits of sustainable infrastructure to governments, research groups, and local communities.
Key facts about roads:
We are seeking volunteers to assist us in digitizing (tracing) new road infrastructure and classifying road attributes in Google Earth. You can do this from home with a computer and internet connection by downloading the free Google Earth application and utilizing spatial data sets that we will provide.
Join our researchers in mapping all roads in the tropics and developing nations to help guide future development towards sustainable outcomes!