The ATO green roads profiles present country-level perspectives on how 35 Asia-Pacific economies are addressing the development and management of sustainable eco-friendly roads. Drawing from diverse datasets and policy documents, the profiles highlight practices and measures that contribute to greener transport infrastructure.

Developed by the Asian Transport Observatory (ATO) in partnership with the International Road Federation (IRF), the profiles are designed to complement the Green Roads Toolkit. The toolkit provides a practical reference for integrating good practices across nine dimensions:

• Decarbonization
• Climate resilience
• Water and land management
• Pollution reduction
• Conserving biodiversity
• Responsible sourcing of materials
• Improving quality of life
• Disaster preparedness
• Fostering inclusive growth

This 2025 edition builds on earlier work to provide a comprehensive resource for guiding the planning, development, construction, and management of greener, more sustainable roads.

The Cook Islands presents a distinct profile in the Pacific: a nation of 14,000 people where the machine outnumbers the human. The road network is modest, measuring 398 kilometers, comprised entirely of local and rural roads. Yet, the density of ownership is staggering. Motorization hit 1,036 vehicles per thousand population in 2024, a sharp rise from 634 at the turn of the millennium. For context, the Asia-Pacific regional average sits far lower at 317.Of the 16,297 registered motor vehicles in the Cook Islands, about 60% are motor bikes while the remainder are four-wheel cars and trucks.

This unique composition dictates the energy profile. Road transport greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reached 42,000 tonnes of CO2e by 2024, representing a dominant 86% share of total transport emissions. The trajectory is concerning. While economy-wide emissions grew at a manageable 1.8% per year, road transport emissions increased by 4.1% annually since 2000. The sector is decoupling from the broader economy, but in the wrong direction.

Between 2015 and 2024, the value of electric vehicle (EV) imports totaled $1 million, capturing 2% of the total road vehicle import market by 2024. There is a mismatch in the transition dynamics. While the existing fleet is overwhelmingly two-wheeled, the EV imports (in value) tell a different story: 88% are light-duty vehicles (LDVs) and only 12% are two-wheelers. The UNEP E-mobility Readiness Index scores the Cook Islands at 37 out of 100, indicating that the market is moving faster than the regulatory framework.

Geography is destiny, and for the Cook Islands, that destiny includes volatility. Since 2000, 100% of recorded natural disasters have been storms. The country faces estimated average annual losses of $722,500 to transport infrastructure. Roads bear the brunt, accounting for approximately 57% of these losses. While bridges and tunnels constitute a mere 0.1% of the infrastructure stock, they absorb a disproportionate 4.5% of the financial damage, highlighting the fragility of critical nodal points.

The conflict between grey infrastructure and green capital is acute. The islands hold seven Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), yet four of these contain road infrastructure. The intrusion is dense: there are 758 meters of road for every thousand square kilometers of KBA. This is an order of magnitude higher than the Pacific Islands average of 25 and the Asia-Pacific average of 88. The ecological fragmentation is significant.

Conversely, the air remains relatively breathable, though not without cost. The concentration of PM 2.5 was recorded at 6.1 micrograms per cubic meter in 2019. Transport is a minority contributor here, responsible for 22 tonnes of PM 2.5 emissions in 2022, with the road sector specifically contributing 20% of that figure. Since 2015, road transport PM 2.5 emissions have successfully reduced by 4.5% per year.

The road network, while extensive in density, leaves gaps in equity. Four thousand people—significant in a population of 14,000—remain outside the 2-kilometer reach of an all-season road. This isolation leaves rural populations susceptible to shocks and hinders recovery when the inevitable storms hit. On the safety front, the trends are stagnant. The World Health Organization estimated 3 road crash fatalities in 2021. The economic consequences of road traffic crashes in Cook Islands are substantial. In 2021, these fatalities and serious injuries cost an estimated 16 million USD.

The Cook Islands faces a "micro-scale, macro-impact" dilemma. It possesses a hyper-motorized society running on a fossil-fuel backbone that is growing faster than the economy itself. The infrastructure is intimately exposed to climate hazards, draining value annually. The path forward is challenging.

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