Balancing Development and Sustainability: Lessons from Roadbuilding in Mountainous Asia

Roy C. Sidle () and Alan D. Ziegler
Additional contact information
Roy C. Sidle: Mountain Societies Research Institute, University of Central Asia, 155Q Imatsho Street, Khorog 736000, GBAO, Tajikistan
Alan D. Ziegler: Faculty of Fisheries Technology and Aquatic Resources, Maejo University, Chiang Mai 50290, Thailand

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: Managing land-use activities sustainably in mountainous regions requires addressing the interconnected impacts of geophysical, socioeconomic, cultural, and geopolitical stressors. This complexity is exemplified in roadbuilding across highland Asia, where insufficient planning, incomplete environmental impact assessments (EIAs), and governance gaps often result in lasting “toeprints”—subtle yet significant unintended consequences. Drawing on specific case studies within Yunnan, China; Central Asia’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI); and the Kedarnath Disaster in India, this perspective highlights the risks of rapid infrastructure development without holistic, long-term planning and explores the underlying issues of these problems. While mountain roads enhance connectivity, mobility, and short-term economic prosperity, they frequently impose environmental and social costs that offset their intended benefits. Poorly designed roads in the mountains of northwest Yunnan and Central Asia have triggered landslides, sedimentation, habitat fragmentation, and disruptions to local livelihoods and cultural practices. In contrast, road improvements to the remote Kedarnath Temple in the Himalaya led to the overcrowding of religious pilgrims who were killed and stranded during a major flood and sediment disaster in 2013. These case studies emphasize the need for transdisciplinary research, community engagement, and regulatory frameworks that integrate disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, and sustainability for the benefit of all stakeholders. By aligning infrastructure projects with robust planning frameworks, development practitioners and policymakers can better balance economic, environmental, and social priorities, minimizing unintended impacts while fostering resilient and equitable outcomes in fragile mountain landscapes.

Keywords: mountain roads; natural hazards; sustainable development; cumulative watershed effects; non-singularity; socioeconomic impacts; disaster preparedness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/3156/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/7/3156/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:3156-:d:1626799

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().