Environmental Impact of Road Development

Environmental Impacts of Road Development

• Clearing natural vegetation for road construction leads to soil erosion, increasing sedimentation in streams and rivers, and raising water levels, which can cause flooding.
• Road development fragments forests, reducing animal habitats and restricting animal movement, resulting in roadkill when animals attempt to cross busy roads.
• Alterations to landforms, such as levelling mountains and diverting river channels, occur during road construction.

Contribution to Climate Change

• The transport system, which relies on energy sources like electricity, petroleum, or biofuel, produces carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases when petrol is burned.
• These emissions contribute to the increase in the Earth's temperature.

Environmental Impacts of Road Development

• Natural vegetation clearance for road construction leads to soil erosion, causing sediments to enter streams and rivers, increasing water levels and flooding risks.
• Road development fragments forests, reducing animal habitats and restricting animal movement, leading to roadkill when animals attempt to cross roads.
• Fragmentation of forests also results in population isolation, inbreeding, and reduced biodiversity.

Changes to Topography and Terrain

• Road construction involves modifying landforms, such as levelling mountains and diverting river channels.
• These changes alter the natural landscape, potentially disrupting natural ecosystems and habitats.

Contribution to Climate Change

• The transport system relies on energy sources like electricity, petroleum, or biofuel, which produce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases when burned.
• The combustion of petrol specifically contributes to the increase in the Earth's temperature, exacerbating climate change.
• The overall carbon footprint of road development and transportation contributes to global warming.