China's BRI project causing significant environmental damage in South Asia: Report

European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) recently reported that China’s Belt and Ro Initiative (BRI) is causing significant environmental risks. China’s BRI promises to create opportunities for South Asian states to facilitate a more sustainable growth model. However, EFSAS said that as South Asia is amongst main regions likely to be hit severely by negative environmental impact of climate change, BRI, which was announced in 2013, will exacerbate se trends. 

While citing Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) report, EFSAS said that environmental trends in South Asia generally correspond to development trajectory, that causes pollution through growing industrialisation, which has become one of key environmental characteristics of South Asia. report noted that pollution has increased as a direct result of this rapid industrialisation. It ded that air pollution is even more extreme in urban areas, with 91.2 per cent of region's population living in areas that register pollution rates of 35mg/m3, making South Asian air some of most polluted in world. 

EFSAS said that BRI, which is clearly a developmental project for industrial growth, is likely to furr intensify environmental degration. foundation noted that for China, construction of physical infrastructure has played a foundational role in rapid economic development of country. refore, it ded BRI exports this infrastructure-driven growth model, including to South Asia. 

EFSAS said, “Infrastructure investments are thus likely to exacerbate environmental issues if y are not sufficiently regulated and focused on utilising renewable forms of energy consumption”. 

It ded, “South Asian countries once again find mselves at crossros of having to choose between some of short-term economic benefits potentially produced by BRI and long-term negative ecological and, ultimately, economic impacts this investment will likely have”. 

China’s Belt and Ro Initiative 

Meanwhile, it is worth noting that BRI was launched by President Xi Jinping when he came to power in 2013. Jinping mooted idea to revive ancient Silk route and termed it as One Belt One Ro (OBOR). It aims to link Souast Asia, Central Asia, Gulf region, Africa and Europe with a network of land and sea routes. OBOR initiative was later named Belt and Ro Initiative.

(With inputs from ANI)