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.

Indonesia, an archipelago characterized by water yet connected by asphalt, spans 1.9 million square kilometers and aims to unite its 283.5 million people into one economic entity. The country has developed a road network of 1.3 million kilometers, predominantly local and rural roads making up 92% of the infrastructure. The main challenge is density. While OECD nations have an average of 17 kilometers of road per thousand people, Indonesia's figure has risen from 3.7 in 2000 to just 4.5 today, despite recent expansion efforts. The infrastructure struggles to meet the growing demand for mobility. Motor vehicles have increased to 528 per thousand people, far above the Asia-Pacific average of 317, with most growth seen in two-wheelers. The fleet's composition influences the energy footprint: Indonesia's roads are mainly motorcycles, comprising 82% of traffic, with light-duty vehicles at 10% and buses at 2%. This fleet structure results in relatively low emissions—29 grams of CO2e per dollar of GDP—compared to Southeast Asia's average of 31.

Yet, the aggregate burden grows. The road sector emitted 135.7 million tonnes of CO2e in 2024, representing 88% of all transport emissions. Since 2000, these emissions have climbed 3.7% annually. The efficiency gains are real, but they are being swamped by volume.

Policy creates distortions. Between 2016 and 2023, the state provided $117.6 billion into fossil fuel subsidies. This subsidy masks the true cost of mobility, which society pays elsewhere: in congestion, in road damage, and in blood. The external costs of this subsidized travel are staggering, with road crashes accounting for 61% of the societal burden.

The transition to electric mobility offers an escape, but the path is steep. Indonesia scores well on readiness—86 out of 100 on UNEP's index. However, an electric vehicle is only as clean as the power plant behind it. Indonesia's grid emission factor sits at 680 gCO2 per kWh, significantly dirtier than the Asia-Pacific average of 559. While EV imports have reached $2 billion since 2015.

Roads now penetrate 249 of the country's 430 Key Biodiversity Areas. The conflict between infrastructure and environment is not just ecological; it is financial. Climate hazards exact a toll of $761.3 million annually in infrastructure losses, with roads absorbing 95% of that damage. Under a 4.5-degree warming scenario, nearly a third of all road assets will face exposure to extreme precipitation.

The air in the cities has become a hazard. The transport sector emits 56.1 thousand tonnes of PM 2.5 into the atmosphere. The World Bank estimates the health damages from ambient PM 2.5 exposure at $220.1 billion—roughly 7% of GDP. The road network is failing to protect the vulnerable. In 2021, the WHO estimated 31,063 road crash fatalities. In Indonesia, road crash fatalities decreased by approximately -0.7% per year between 2016 and 2021. However, this is not enough to reach the 2030 target to halve the fatalities by 2030.

Over 31 million rural residents remain cut off from all-season roads, isolated from markets and hospitals. In the cities, 82% of urban centers fail to provide public transport access to the majority of their residents. Mobility is expensive, consuming 12% of household expenditures , and it remains a male domain; women constitute a mere 6.9% of the transport workforce.

Indonesia faces an uncertain path ahead. Its mobility system depends on a fragile balance: substantial fossil fuel subsidies, a high-carbon energy grid, and infrastructure that threatens vital biodiversity while being susceptible to climate shocks. The current trend—characterized by rapid motorization and high external costs—indicates that unless there is a shift toward cleaner energy, resilient infrastructure, and inclusive access, the long-term costs of development could surpass the benefits.

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