The ESA GDA Transport & Infrastructure (GDA T&I) activity is supporting the Asian Development Bank (ADB) through collaboration with the Asian Transport Observatory (ATO). Together, they are developing a geospatial monitoring platform that integrates satellite-derived flood hazard data with the ATO’s existing transport indicator framework. The objective is to go beyond aggregate statistics by adding a spatial risk dimension: identifying which roads, and in which countries, are exposed to floods. This supports progress monitoring under the Aichi 2030 Declaration, while contributing to the broader ambitions of the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035).
The platform operates at regional scale, covering 23 countries that have endorsed the Aichi 2030 Declaration on Environmentally Sustainable Transport. For each country, it presents flood exposure data for road networks, displayed as interactive maps, comparative charts, and data tables, alongside existing ATO climate risk related transport indicators. This gives policymakers and analysts a single environment in which to compare infrastructure risk across countries and track progress toward shared sustainability goals.
From global commitments to measurable indicators
The Aichi 2030 Declaration calls for universally accessible, safe, low-carbon, and resilient passenger and freight transport systems across Asia.
At global level, the United Nations has proclaimed the Decade of Sustainable Transport (2026–2035), emphasising stronger data systems, improved monitoring, and enhanced reporting aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Monitoring progress toward these objectives requires more than national statistics alone. The ATO already maintains over 450 transport indicators across nine thematic areas, covering road length, passenger volumes, emissions, traffic safety, and more. These are presented through well-developed charts and diagrams that allow countries to compare their own performance against regional peers. What was missing was a spatial dimension: the existing indicators describe how much infrastructure exists and how it is used, but not where that infrastructure is physically exposed to climate risks.
Figure 1: Transport CO2 Emissions Visualization Tool (Credit: ATO)
Flooding is a growing threat across Asia, which accounts for 41% of the world’s floods. Roads located in flood-prone areas face repeated disruption, rising maintenance costs, and increased safety risks. Quantifying this exposure is essential for climate adaptation planning and investment prioritisation.
Integrating flood hazard and road network exposure
Flood hazard analysis was carried out at national level for all 23 countries, drawing on global climate and historical flood datasets. A key design requirement was cross-country comparability: rather than applying separate thresholds per country, a harmonised classification was used so that results can be directly compared across the region. The flood hazard layers were then intersected with national road network data to quantify the proportion and absolute length of road infrastructure exposed to flood risk in each country. This enables countries to measure not only how extensive their transport networks are, but how much of that infrastructure sits in flood-prone areas.
The resulting outputs allow policymakers to:
- Identify high-risk corridors
- Compare exposure levels across countries
- Prioritise adaptation investments
- Integrate exposure metrics into national reporting processes
Strengthening evidence-based monitoring
The UN Decade Implementation Plan emphasises the need to boost data collection, analysis, and use and to improve monitoring systems for sustainable transport.
The platform integrates the new EO-derived flood exposure results directly alongside ATO’s existing statistical indicators. Users can navigate by country to view flood hazard maps, exposure charts, and data tables in a single interface, or switch to a comparative view showing all 23 countries at once. Selected climate-related indicators already tracked by the ATO, including hazard-based loss data for floods, earthquakes, and landslides, are also incorporated, bringing spatial and statistical evidence together in one place. The result is a monitoring environment that expands beyond infrastructure quantity toward infrastructure vulnerability. This enables:
- Systematic measurement of climate exposure at national level
- Consistent benchmarking across 23 countries
- Improved transparency in reporting under Aichi 2030
- Stronger analytical input for transport investment planning
Supporting regional dialogue and reporting
IABG case study leads Elke Krätzschmar and Kristin Fleischer presented the flood exposure results and platform at an UN-hosted conference in Bangkok, where participating countries reviewed progress under the Aichi 2030 framework. The harmonised methodology enables peer learning and comparable reporting across countries, a function that is central to the Aichi 2030 Declaration’s emphasis on strengthened data collection and regional knowledge sharing. Looking ahead, the platform is designed to accommodate additional hazard layers beyond flooding, such as earthquake or landslide exposure, as country needs evolve.
Advancing climate-resilient transport systems
Transport systems are essential for economic activity, market access and social connectivity. When roads are repeatedly disrupted by disasters, the consequences extend beyond infrastructure damage to affect supply chains, livelihoods and safety. Quantifying exposure enables governments and development partners to transition from reactive repairs to preventive adaptations. The regional methodology shows how Earth Observation can be incorporated into existing transport monitoring frameworks to support more informed infrastructure planning and strengthen climate resilience across Asia.
As the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport gets underway, integrating geospatial risk analysis into existing transport indicator systems offers a practical way to turn global commitments into measurable, country-level actions. The ADB–ATO collaboration shows that Earth Observation can contribute more than standalone assessments. When embedded within the monitoring frameworks that decision-makers already use, it becomes an integral part of climate resilience planning and tracking.
