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 archipelago covers 18,000 square kilometers. To connect this fragmented land, Fiji built a 12,100-kilometer road network in 2024, mainly consisting of local and rural roads—94% of the total—forming a capillary system without motorways. With a density of 662 meters per square kilometer, it reflects a strong effort to establish connectivity. Since 2000, road access increased from 7.1 to 13.0 kilometers per thousand people, yet nearly 89,000 rural residents—about 10%—remain isolated without all-season roads, missing out on markets, healthcare, and development opportunities. The vehicle fleet is evolving: motorization now stands at 167 vehicles per thousand people, lower than the Asia-Pacific average of 317, but rising rapidly. Most vehicles (77%) are light-duty, with 18% trucks, while public transport via buses accounts for only 2%, leading to higher emissions from private vehicles.

Fiji's road transport sector is decoupling from the broader economy, but in the wrong direction. While economy-wide emissions have reduced, shrinking by 0.1% annually, road transport emissions have climbed by 2.2% per year since 2000. By 2024, the sector emitted 609,000 tonnes of CO2e into the atmosphere. The intensity of this pollution is stark. For every dollar of GDP generated, Fiji's roads emit 41 grams of CO2e. This is an improvement from 1990 levels, yet it lags behind the regional efficiency; the Asia-Pacific average sits at 26 grams. The sector now accounts for 86% of total transport emissions and over a fifth of the nation's entire carbon output.

There is a flicker of transition. The value of electric vehicle (EV) imports reached $6 million between 2015 and 2024. EVs now represent 2% of total road vehicle imports, primarily light-duty vehicles. But the shift is nascent. The UNEP E-mobility Readiness Index scores Fiji at 62 out of 100, signaling that while the policy framework (score 15) and energy landscape (score 22) are taking shape, the market maturity (score 10) lags.

The physical vulnerability of this network is acute. In a future warming scenario of 4.5 degrees, more than 80% of Fiji's road assets face exposure to frequent and extreme precipitation. The financial penalty is already visible. The country faces average annual losses of $4.7 million to transport infrastructure, half of which is road-related. Bridges, though a fraction of the physical stock, bear a disproportionate 11.3% of these losses. This infrastructure fragility compounds the economic burden on households, where transport already consumes 7.4% of total expenditure.

Pollution exacts a quieter, deadlier toll. The concentration of PM 2.5 hit 9.7 micrograms per cubic meter in 2019. The World Bank estimates the cost of health damages from this exposure at $935 million annually—equivalent to roughly 7% of Fiji's GDP. While the road sector contributes 20% of transport-related PM 2.5, the reduction in tailpipe emissions—down 4.6% per year since 2015—suggests that policy interventions are beginning to work.

Yet, the interaction between infrastructure and nature is precarious. Fiji retains 63% forest cover. However, roads are encroaching on ecological sanctuaries. In the country's 42 Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs), road density stands at 46 meters per thousand square kilometers. While this is less intrusive than the Asia-Pacific average of 88 meters, it represents a permanent pressure on endemic life.

Safety remains an unresolved crisis. Fossil fuel subsidies, intended to support mobility, incur distinct external costs: 44% of these hidden costs manifest as road crashes. Despite the seemingly low fatality rate, the economic burden of road crashes in Fiji is substantial. Estimated at approximately 73 million USD for 2021, this represents roughly 2% of Fiji's GDP. This figure accounts for fatalities and serious injuries, highlighting the significant economic impact of road crashes. Achieving the global target of halving fatalities by 2030 requires a reduction rate of 7.4% per year. The current trajectory saves lives, but not enough of them.

Fiji presents a paradox of connectivity and vulnerability. The nation has successfully expanded road availability to outpace population growth, yet a significant rural minority remains isolated. The transport sector's carbon footprint is growing, diverging from the rest of the decarbonizing economy and lagging behind regional efficiency benchmarks. While the initial uptake of electric mobility and reductions in particulate matter offer positive signals, the road network faces existential threats from climate volatility and exacts a high socio-economic price through health damages and safety risks.

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