Key Pathways on a Green and Low-Carbon BRI

By 2050, the share of global carbon emissions of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) participating countries is expected to be as high as 76 percent. Among the 149 countries and 32 international organizations signed on to the BRI, more than half of the countries included carbon neutrality in their planning and proposed specific timelines for achieving the target. 

With climate change compounded with resource and environmental constraints, the lingering pandemic triggering economic growth concerns and geopolitical conflicts aggravating unbalanced regional development, global sustainable development is facing an unprecedented complex situation. What is more, developing countries like those participating in the BRI face various challenges towards green and low-carbon energy development, including cost, infrastructure and technical capacity. 

In a new special policy report by the China Council for International Cooperation on the Environment and Development (CCICED), a team of Chinese and international policy experts and researchers, present a realistic approach for BRI participating countries to cope with the global climate crisis by focusing on three key aspects, industrial and technological cooperation, investment and financing cooperation, and international cooperation and proposing three key paths to support BRI green and low-carbon energy development. 

Consisting of senior Chinese and international officials and experts, and chaired by China’s Vice-Premier, CCICED serves as a high-level advisory body with a mandate to conduct comprehensive, cross-sectoral and multidisciplinary research that integrates the environment, the economy and the society. The new report is the result of international collaboration with dozens of experts from institutions around the world, including Kevin P. Gallagher, who served as one of three International Co-Leaders of the project, as well as Rebecca Ray and Cecilia Springer, who served as part of the Special Policy Study Members.

From the three key aspects, the report emphasizes the importance of following the key pathways, recommending 1) promoting industrial and technological cooperation in clean energy to support BRI green and low-carbon energy development; 2) guiding financial resources to support BRI green and low-carbon energy development and 3) strengthening international cooperation to support BRI green and low-carbon energy development. 

Given the global trend toward carbon neutrality, the experts argue promoting green and low-carbon energy BRI development has strategic value and positive practical significance for BRI participating countries to help them reduce reliance on fossil fuels, proactively respond to global climate crisis and achieve sustainable development towards a “carbon-neutral” future.