By: Azhar Azam
Delegates from 110 countries have so far confirmed their participation in the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation (BRF) – scheduled to be held in Beijing in October including three high-level forums on connectivity, green development and digital economy – told the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning on Tuesday.
Launched in May 2017, the forum is one of the most high-profile international events for its key focus on cooperation in the areas of infrastructure development, increased trade and shared growth. Marking the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), which has galvanized nearly $1 trillion in investment and established more than 3,000 cooperation projects, greatly elevates the forum’s importance.
As the global challenges got more densest with climate change, pollution and loss of iconic species spilling over borders as well as poverty, inequality, peace and security becoming major international issues – the BRI launched several clean and affordable connectivity and renewable energy projects in the developing countries on a scale “never" seen before.
Speaking at the first BRF, the Chinese President Xi Jinping characterized infrastructure connectivity as the foundation of development, stressed to embark on a path leading to peace and shared development and urged to intensify efforts to eradicate poverty. He blazed the trail by launching 100 each of "happy home," poverty alleviation and healthcare and rehabilitation projects in the BRI countries as well as suggesting to pursue a "new vision" of carbonless, green and sustainable development.” An unprecedented number of international leaders in a joint statement welcomed and supported the BRI in enhancing connectivity across regions and pledged to eliminate poverty and promote peace, equality and sustainable development.
According to the World Bank study in 2019, the BRI could increase trade between BRI and world countries by about 3.5 times, pushing global real income by more than 4 times with its projects lifting about 40 million people from extreme and moderate poverty. The BRI, launched two years before the adoption of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, was also lauded by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs in its October 2022 progress report for operating in support of the 2030 Agenda’s vision of achieving “common development and shared prosperity.”
The report highlighted each of the project’s five pillars – policy coordination, facilities, connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial cooperation and people-to-people-exchanges – were intrinsically linked to the UN 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). "Country experiences" indicated, it said, the BRI had supported the implementation of the 2030 Agenda by helping bridge a number of gaps in achieving the SDGs such as through job creation, income generation, reliable development financing for sustainable infrastructure, trade expansion and increased market access.
In September 2021, Xi at the annual UN summit declared that China would stop building new coal-fired power projects overseas and vowed to step up support for developing countries in producing green and low-carbon energy. The promise – seen as drawing a “big line in the sand,” “an absolute seminal moment,” “great contribution,” “real game-changer” – was welcomed by the UN, climate campaigners and international leaders.
Beijing, in fact, has since long been aiming to incorporate green development into the BRI. At the very first BRF, the Chinese President Xi Jinping announced the establishment of the BRI International Green Development Coalition (BRIGC), an open, inclusive and voluntary international network to promote universal consensus and collective actions on the development of Green Belt and Road and implementing the SDGs. in addition to contributing to the creation of a more equitable and prosperous world and offering opportunities to countries to benefit from an international cooperation platform. The vision to forge a more equitable and prosperous world offered opportunities to countries to benefit from an international cooperation platform.
The potential coherent synergies and complementarities between the BRI and the 2030 Agenda and China’s commitment to strengthen cooperation with the BRI countries – including through collaboration mechanisms such as China-ASEAN, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Lancang-Mekong Cooperation, Euro-Asia Economic Forum, Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and China-Arab States Cooperation Forum – deepened interregional coordination and exchanges on ecological and environmental protection. Such policy dialogues could serve as effective platforms to promote sustainable partnerships with the BRI member states and support the SDGs.
China has so far signed more than 50 cooperation documents on ecological environmental protection, established the BRIGC comprising a group of 42 Chinese international institutions – including the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) International, whose 2017 report found a considerable overlap between the BRI projects and sensitive environments – and launched the Initiative for Belt and Road Partnership on Green Development with 31 countries.
Appreciating China’s promotion of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), Marco Lambertini, special envoy of the WWF International says Beijing, within the framework of the BRI, has made “huge progress” in reducing fossil fuel and promoting renewable energy investments. Andrew Steer, President and CEO of Bezos Earth Fund, places China at the center of the renewable energy transition and intellectual revolution since it, long before many countries, set green as a new goal. He further states Beijing's ability to develop clean technologies may put it as lead financier of the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), countries’ self-defined national climate finance pledges and what he describes as a "gift" to the world.
At a time when “centrifugal geopolitical forces” are attempting to divide the world as climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss need a strong global response call for urgent global action, the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), which has been serving as a vehicle for more than 30 years to promote policies and practices to prevent these triple threats, hosted its annual general meeting in Beijing from August 28 to 30. In a meeting of nearly 500 domestic and international participants, Beijing pledged to play an active role in global environmental governance and gained applause for its determination to move forward “smartly” and “sustainably” and leadership in the clean energy transition.
China has already created an estimated of 54 million green jobs, which will expand as its renewable sector grows. It is also likely to install more solar and wind energy alone in 2023 than the entire capacity of the US and the European Union combined. With the BRI redirecting finance in a nature-positive way and turning into a crucial source of vital funding for the GBF and countries' NDCs, these projects have a “pivotal role” in promoting green investments as well as accelerating clean energy and green industries in developing countries while closing their infrastructure gaps, increasing trade and generating employments, in a nutshell bringing long-term and planet-friendly growth to the world. For environmentalists and nations hit hard by climate change, green development inclusion as one of three high-level forums at the third BRF is exciting news.