Dr. Joshi said that the economic development is required for poverty reduction. At the same time, development also leads to increased greenhouse gas pollution caused by the resulting growth in vehicular traffic, energy use and other related activities. Greenhouse gas pollution and local air pollution threaten to undermine development with the increasing evidence of their adverse environment and health impacts. Transportation is the fastest growing sector and at the same time major contributor to global climate change, accounting for 23% of energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.

He expressed his concern on the climate change, one of the most critical challenges of our times. The climate change and global warming due to pollution and equivalent increase in carbon footprint threaten entire human existence and has been rightly taken quite earnestly by global leaders. Climate change is already evident from observations of increases in global average temperature, sea level rise, precipitation changes and extreme floods and draughts in different parts of world, he said.

The Minister said that the Governments around the world have set plans to deliver their target to cut Carbon Dioxide emissions. The most recent Conference of the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP) that was held in Cancun has further developed these approaches. India has also developed a National Action Plan on Climate Change which outlines a number of steps to simultaneously advance India’s development and climate change adaptation and mitigation objectives.

Lauding the role of IRC, he said that it has played a crucial role in development of Standards, Specifications, Codes of Practices, Guidelines and dissemination of knowledge and expertise for the construction of roads and bridges in the country. India has about 42.36 lakh km of road network, which is the second largest in the world. It is on the strength of the IRC documents that the country could embark upon massive initiatives of road development, namely National Highways Development Project, Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North-Eastern region & Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana.

Dr. Joshi said that IRC has entered into an MOU with the PIARC and this International Seminar is a sequel to this MOU. He urged the IRC to organize such Seminars at regular interval and hoped that the presentations and deliberations during this Seminar would result in innovative ideas and serve as a confidence building measure for both the implementing agencies and the manufacturers and so pave the way for reducing carbon footprint in road construction industry by innovative ideas, technologies and environmental friendly materials without compromising quality, serviceability and durability aspect of roads.

IRC is the oldest and most important representative technical body of highway engineers in India. The growth of highway engineering as a profession owes much to the IRC which has completed seventy five years of its existence. It can be claimed that the development of roads in the country has been significantly influenced by the wise counsels given by the IRC and has progressed according to the policies enunciated by it. The PIARC is the oldest international origination founded in 1908 and is the world leader in the exchange of knowledge on roads and road transport policy and practices within an integrated sustainable transport context.

This 3-day Seminar provides a common platform for practitioners from across PIARC member countries including India, to acquire up-to-date information on the latest innovative approaches and products which can contribute in reducing the carbon footprints issues and challenges. It is designed to attract active participation of all stake holders, which will help in sharing experiences, updating knowledge, identifying appropriate technology and need for revision of the existing specifications, codes of practices and guidelines in the field of Public Private Participation in Highway Sector in the country. It would help in bringing latest environmental friendly technology, materials, machineries in the Country, facilitating construction and maintenance of durable and cost effective Roads.

The Seminar is covering the following themes: Theme–1- Plenary Session-Road Development Programme in India; Theme–2-Determination of the Carbon Footprint of Road Works; Theme–3- Road Design for Reduction of the Carbon Footprint; Theme–4-Innovative Bituminous Techniques to Reduce Energy Consumption and Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions; Theme-5-Use of Local Materials; and Theme-6-Recycling and Preservation of Fossil Resources.