Transport Infrastructure Reimagined: Forging Resilient Connections

South Asia’s critical infrastructure faces unprecedented vulnerabilities due to escalating climate risks, with over $2 trillion in assets exposed. Transport accounts for the highest exposure by a major margin globally and in South Asia, the sector valued at $575 billion is particularly threatened by climate-induced hazards such as floods, heat waves, and cyclones. Without swift and strategic interventions, these climate impacts could severely disrupt the region’s economic stability and endanger the livelihoods of over two billion people.

In the absence of resilience measures, climate-induced disruptions are projected to impact 4-8% of South Asia’s GDP. For transport in particular, interruptions in one part of the network can trigger cascading failures across the entire economic system. The urgency for a unified, resilient infrastructure framework has never been greater, as illustrated by the over 93 million people worldwide affected by climate events in 2023 alone. Yet, resilience funding remains significantly underdeveloped, with only 20 to 30% of the required estimated $215 to 387 billion in financing currently accessible.

Authored by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), this report proposes an integrated framework across policy, data and investments aided by good governance and enhanced capacity development. This will enable enhanced resilience in South Asia’s transport infrastructure, steering away from a siloed approach to a cohesive mechanism across the project lifecycle. Key recommendations include mainstreaming climate risk assessments, developing comprehensive resilience plans, and fostering cross-sector collaboration. With innovative funding models such as blended financing, public-private partnerships and green infrastructure investments, these calls to action offer a transformative pathway for South Asia to counter climate adversity, unlock long-term economic resilience in transport, and position the region for sustainable development.