Biodiversity Conservation in Road Projects : Lessons from World Bank Experience in Latin America
The unprecedented and irreversible loss of biodiversity in modern times is caused primarily by the elimination or degradation of natural habitats around the world. Since the construction and improvement of roads sometimes leads, directly or indire...
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English en_US |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2017
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/385081483595950470/Biodiversity-conservation-in-road-projects-lessons-from-World-Bank-experience-in-Latin-America http://hdl.handle.net/10986/25938 |
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okr-10986-259382021-04-23T14:04:32Z Biodiversity Conservation in Road Projects : Lessons from World Bank Experience in Latin America Ledec, George Posas, Paula J. roads rural roads biodiversity climate change The unprecedented and irreversible loss of biodiversity in modern times is caused primarily by the elimination or degradation of natural habitats around the world. Since the construction and improvement of roads sometimes leads, directly or indirectly, to the loss and degradation of natural habitats, road construction and biodiversity aims are often at odds. However, many potentially serious conflicts between road projects and biodiversity conservation can be avoided. Induced negative impacts of road projects on biodiversity can be minimized by careful project siting, taking special care to avoid passing through protected areas and other critical natural habitats, including forested areas (which are especially vulnerable to induced impacts). Where some natural habitat loss is inevitable, appropriate mitigation may include the establishment of strict protection zones alongside the road, or compensatory protected areas elsewhere to offset the expected road-related natural habitat loss (as is typically required under the World Bank’s Natural Habitats Policy). This kind of mitigation requires effective inter-agency collaboration--for example, between the agencies responsible for roads and protected areas. Direct adverse impacts of road works on biodiversity can also be significant, but they are generally simpler to avoid or mitigate, because they are more fully under the control of road construction agencies, contractors, and concessionaires. Biodiversity loss and environmental damage can be considerably reduced when planners and road construction agencies site roads adjacent to existing railways, pipelines, or transmission lines; practice sound road engineering; maintain good drainage and natural water flows; minimize roadside habitat loss; and, exercise care in the siting and design of borrow pits, construction camps, and other complementary facilities. Environmental rules for contractors, including transparent penalties for noncompliance, need to be incorporated within bidding documents and contracts. Ideally, road projects are designed and implemented so as to avoid or compensate adequately for any adverse impacts on natural habitats and biodiversity. Through mitigation measures such as support for compensatory protected areas, potentially controversial projects can even produce significant net environmental benefits, a win-win outcome. 2017-01-25T21:25:05Z 2017-01-25T21:25:05Z 2003-06-25 Working Paper http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/385081483595950470/Biodiversity-conservation-in-road-projects-lessons-from-World-Bank-experience-in-Latin-America http://hdl.handle.net/10986/25938 English en_US CC BY 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo World Bank World Bank, Washington, DC Publications & Research Publications & Research :: Working Paper Latin America & Caribbean |
| repository_type |
Digital Repository |
| institution_category |
Foreign Institution |
| institution |
Digital Repositories |
| building |
World Bank Open Knowledge Repository |
| collection |
World Bank |
| language |
English en_US |
| topic |
roads rural roads biodiversity climate change |
| spellingShingle |
roads rural roads biodiversity climate change Ledec, George Posas, Paula J. Biodiversity Conservation in Road Projects : Lessons from World Bank Experience in Latin America |
| geographic_facet |
Latin America & Caribbean |
| description |
The unprecedented and irreversible loss
of biodiversity in modern times is caused primarily by the
elimination or degradation of natural habitats around the
world. Since the construction and improvement of roads
sometimes leads, directly or indirectly, to the loss and
degradation of natural habitats, road construction and
biodiversity aims are often at odds. However, many
potentially serious conflicts between road projects and
biodiversity conservation can be avoided. Induced negative
impacts of road projects on biodiversity can be minimized by
careful project siting, taking special care to avoid passing
through protected areas and other critical natural habitats,
including forested areas (which are especially vulnerable to
induced impacts). Where some natural habitat loss is
inevitable, appropriate mitigation may include the
establishment of strict protection zones alongside the road,
or compensatory protected areas elsewhere to offset the
expected road-related natural habitat loss (as is typically
required under the World Bank’s Natural Habitats Policy).
This kind of mitigation requires effective inter-agency
collaboration--for example, between the agencies responsible
for roads and protected areas. Direct adverse impacts of
road works on biodiversity can also be significant, but they
are generally simpler to avoid or mitigate, because they are
more fully under the control of road construction agencies,
contractors, and concessionaires. Biodiversity loss and
environmental damage can be considerably reduced when
planners and road construction agencies site roads adjacent
to existing railways, pipelines, or transmission lines;
practice sound road engineering; maintain good drainage and
natural water flows; minimize roadside habitat loss; and,
exercise care in the siting and design of borrow pits,
construction camps, and other complementary facilities.
Environmental rules for contractors, including transparent
penalties for noncompliance, need to be incorporated within
bidding documents and contracts. Ideally, road projects are
designed and implemented so as to avoid or compensate
adequately for any adverse impacts on natural habitats and
biodiversity. Through mitigation measures such as support
for compensatory protected areas, potentially controversial
projects can even produce significant net environmental
benefits, a win-win outcome. |
| format |
Working Paper |
| author |
Ledec, George Posas, Paula J. |
| author_facet |
Ledec, George Posas, Paula J. |
| author_sort |
Ledec, George |
| title |
Biodiversity Conservation in Road Projects : Lessons from World Bank Experience in Latin America |
| title_short |
Biodiversity Conservation in Road Projects : Lessons from World Bank Experience in Latin America |
| title_full |
Biodiversity Conservation in Road Projects : Lessons from World Bank Experience in Latin America |
| title_fullStr |
Biodiversity Conservation in Road Projects : Lessons from World Bank Experience in Latin America |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Biodiversity Conservation in Road Projects : Lessons from World Bank Experience in Latin America |
| title_sort |
biodiversity conservation in road projects : lessons from world bank experience in latin america |
| publisher |
World Bank, Washington, DC |
| publishDate |
2017 |
| url |
http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/385081483595950470/Biodiversity-conservation-in-road-projects-lessons-from-World-Bank-experience-in-Latin-America http://hdl.handle.net/10986/25938 |
| _version_ |
1764460416558170112 |