FAIR-BRI
China is, by far, the world’s largest source of bilateral official finance. China’s two main policy banks that lend to governments overseas – the China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China – together issued about as much in sovereign finance commitments as the World Bank in the last global business cycle (2008-2019). At that scale, it is crucial for policymakers and stakeholders at all levels to understand the environmental and social implications of this finance.
The Global China Initiative’s FAIR-BRI (Forestry, Agriculture and Indigenous Rights in the Belt and Road Initiative) program examines these aspects, with a special focus on land use, biodiversity and natural resources critical for Indigenous communities worldwide.
Research Highlights
FAIR-BRI – Latest News and Publications
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10 Charts to Explain 22 Years of China-Africa Trade, Overseas Development Finance and Foreign Direct Investment
April 02, 2024By Oyintarelado Moses From 2000-2022, China’s engagement with African countries through trade, overseas development finance and foreign direct investment (FDI) has bolstered ties and increased policy relations, particularly in the areas of development. Past trends in economic engagement have led to... [ More ]
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China-Africa Economic Bulletin, 2024 Edition
April 01, 2024African countries have and are shaping development goals in alignment with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union Agenda 2063. Potential sources of financing for energy and transition materials have become increasingly important for devising strategies... [ More ]
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The Deforestation and Biodiversity Risks of Power Plant Projects in Southeast Asia: A Big Data Spatial Analytical Framework
November 06, 2023Southeast Asia is one of the regions with the world’s highest species richness and endemism. Its tropical ecosystems are characterized by rich biodiversity and complex biotic interactions among their species. Unfortunately, today, this region exhibits the world’s highest vertebrate extinction rates, [ More ]
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Experts React: The Belt and Road Ahead
October 27, 2023Last week, China commemorated the tenth anniversary of its flagship global infrastructure project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), by hosting the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing. International leaders flocked to the Forum, at which... [ More ]
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Webinar Summary: Evaluating the Promise of the BRI at 10
October 24, 2023By Ishana Ratan On Thursday, October 12, the Boston University Global Development Policy Center (GDP Center) hosted a webinar discussion on the impacts and implications of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in its 10 years of shaping global development. Oyintarelado... [ More ]
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GDP Center Round-Up: The Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation
October 16, 2023By Claire Paul and Maureen Heydt To mark the tenth anniversary of China’s historic Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) will be held in Beijing next week, with several international leaders scheduled... [ More ]
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10 Charts for the BRI at 10
October 16, 2023By Lucas Engel and Oyintarelado Moses Ten years have passed since Chinese leader Xi Jinping introduced plans for the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a global infrastructure platform to increase connectivity, economic integration, growth and cooperation across the globe. To mark this... [ More ]
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The BRI at Ten: Maximizing the Benefits and Minimizing the Risks of China’s Belt and Road Initiative
October 09, 2023To mark the tenth anniversary of China’s historic Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) will be held in Beijing in mid-October, with several international leaders scheduled to attend. The BRI is an... [ More ]
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Webinar Summary: Chinese Loans to Africa Database – Data Update
September 28, 2023By Lucas Engel On Thursday, September 21, the Boston University Global Development Policy Center hosted a webinar to introduce a new update to the Chinese Loans to Africa (CLA) Database and discuss past and current trends in Chinese lending to the... [ More ]
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How Innovative Financing Mechanisms Can Green the Belt and Road Initiative
September 18, 2023By Niccolò Manych and Ishana Ratan The year 2023 marks the tenth anniversary of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Over the last decade, the BRI has evolved into the world’s largest international investment program. In 2022, the annual financial volume... [ More ]