IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i24p17091-d1008309.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Status and Prospect of Ecological Environment in the Belt and Road Initiative Regions

Author

Listed:
  • Xixi Du

    (School of Foreign Languages, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
    Center for Turkmenistan Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China)

  • Yi Qin

    (School of Foreign Languages, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
    Center for Turkmenistan Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China)

  • Chunbo Huang

    (Center for Turkmenistan Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
    State Key Laboratory of Biogeology and Environmental Geology, School of Geography and Information Engineering, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China)

Abstract

With the widespread recognition and in-depth implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), especially in the context of global climate change, the ecological environment of Belt and Road Initiative regions might be confronted with pressures and challenges with rapid socioeconomic development. In response to those potential environmental challenges, China has put forward Green BRI and enriched the new Silk Road with more environmental connotations, aiming to reduce the conflict between economic development and eco-environmental protection. Currently, there is a lack of systematic and holistic research on eco-environmental issues in BRI regions. In addition, feasible solutions to enhance BRI’s contribution to the eco-environment remain insufficient. Having systematically reviewed the relevant literature on the eco-environment in BRI regions, we found that most regions along the BRI routes are in sensitive zones of climate and geological change, with fragile eco-environments and strong vulnerability to climate change, natural disasters and human activities. The main eco-environment status of the BRI regions is as follows: (1) The total water resources in BRI regions account for only 36% of the global total, with uneven distribution and complex spatial precipitation, posing higher pressure on water security. (2) Vegetation varies significantly from region to region. The vegetation in South Asia is the richest, with its mean annual NDVI exceeding 0.7. The NDVI in East Europe, Russia and South China are between 0.4 and 0.7, and that in Central Asia and West Asia are below 0.2. (3) The BRI regions are abundantly blessed with natural resources, with the total recoverable oil reserves, natural gas reserves and the total mining area reaching 66%, 65.5% and 42.31% of the world’s total, respectively, but severe overexploitation and overconsumption of those resources degrade their eco-environment. Accordingly, future research directions, such as target on integrated, interdisciplinary and coordinated studies on eco-environmental issues in BRI regions, are proposed in this paper to achieve optimization of BRI’s contribution to eco-environment protection in BRI regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Xixi Du & Yi Qin & Chunbo Huang, 2022. "Status and Prospect of Ecological Environment in the Belt and Road Initiative Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1-20, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:17091-:d:1008309
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/24/17091/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/24/17091/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Qiting Zuo & Yixuan Diao & Lingang Hao & Chunhui Han, 2020. "Comprehensive Evaluation of the Human-Water Harmony Relationship in Countries Along the “Belt and Road”," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 34(13), pages 4019-4035, October.
    2. Khan, Anwar & Chenggang, Yang & Hussain, Jamal & Bano, Sadia & Nawaz, AAmir, 2020. "Natural resources, tourism development, and energy-growth-CO2 emission nexus: A simultaneity modeling analysis of BRI countries," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    3. Shi, Kaifang & Yu, Bailang & Huang, Chang & Wu, Jianping & Sun, Xiufeng, 2018. "Exploring spatiotemporal patterns of electric power consumption in countries along the Belt and Road," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 847-859.
    4. Wu, Xi & Si, Yanwu, 2022. "China's Belt and Road Initiative and Corporate Innovation," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    5. Jian Zhang & Meixia Ren & Xin Lu & Yu Li & Jianjun Cao, 2022. "Effect of the Belt and Road Initiatives on Trade and Its Related LUCC and Ecosystem Services of Central Asian Nations," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-18, June.
    6. Muhammad, Sulaman & Long, Xingle & Salman, Muhammad & Dauda, Lamini, 2020. "Effect of urbanization and international trade on CO2 emissions across 65 belt and road initiative countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    7. Xiaobing Yu & Hong Chen & Chenliang Li, 2019. "Evaluate Typhoon Disasters in 21st Century Maritime Silk Road by Super-Efficiency DEA," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-10, May.
    8. Yujing Xiang & Qinli Zhang & Daolin Wang & Shihai Wu, 2022. "Mining Investment Risk Assessment for Nations along the Belt and Road Initiative," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-20, August.
    9. Min Yan & Shunxiang Fan & Li Zhang & Riffat Mahmood & Bowei Chen & Yuqi Dong, 2022. "Vegetation Dynamics Due to Urbanization in the Coastal Cities along the Maritime Silk Road," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-16, January.
    10. Abdul Sattar & Muhammad Noshab Hussain & Muhammad Ilyas, 2022. "An Impact Evaluation of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on Environmental Degradation," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, March.
    11. Yan Wu & Chunlai Chen & Cong Hu, 2021. "Does the Belt and Road Initiative Increase the Carbon Emission Intensity of Participating Countries?," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 29(3), pages 1-25, May.
    12. Zhao, Laijun & Li, Deqiang & Guo, Xiaopeng & Xue, Jian & Wang, Chenchen & Sun, Wenjun, 2021. "Cooperation risk of oil and gas resources between China and the countries along the Belt and Road," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    13. Chunbo Huang & Yi Qin & Xixi Du & Jiawen He & Xin Fan, 2022. "Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-21, May.
    14. Fernando Ascensão & Lenore Fahrig & Anthony P. Clevenger & Richard T. Corlett & Jochen A. G. Jaeger & William F. Laurance & Henrique M. Pereira, 2018. "Environmental challenges for the Belt and Road Initiative," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(5), pages 206-209, May.
    15. Changhong Zhao & Haonan Zhang & Yurong Zeng & Fengyun Li & Yuanxin Liu & Chengju Qin & Jiahai Yuan, 2018. "Total-Factor Energy Efficiency in BRI Countries: An Estimation Based on Three-Stage DEA Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-15, January.
    16. Hussain, Jamal & Khan, Anwar & Zhou, Kui, 2020. "The impact of natural resource depletion on energy use and CO2 emission in Belt & Road Initiative countries: A cross-country analysis," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    17. Abdul Rauf & Xiaoxing Liu & Waqas Amin & Ilhan Ozturk & Obaid Ur Rehman & Suleman Sarwar, 2018. "Energy and Ecological Sustainability: Challenges and Panoramas in Belt and Road Initiative Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-21, August.
    18. Zhai, Fan, 2018. "China’s belt and road initiative: A preliminary quantitative assessment," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 84-92.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Khan, Anwar & Chenggang, Yang & Hussain, Jamal & Kui, Zhou, 2021. "Impact of technological innovation, financial development and foreign direct investment on renewable energy, non-renewable energy and the environment in belt & Road Initiative countries," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 479-491.
    2. Wang, Changjian & Miao, Zhuang & Chen, Xiaodong & Cheng, Yu, 2021. "Factors affecting changes of greenhouse gas emissions in Belt and Road countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    3. Mingchun Cao & Ilan Alon, 2020. "Intellectual Structure of the Belt and Road Initiative Research: A Scientometric Analysis and Suggestions for a Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-40, August.
    4. Yan Wu & Cong Hu & Xunpeng Shi, 2021. "Heterogeneous Effects of the Belt and Road Initiative on Energy Efficiency in Participating Countries," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-21, September.
    5. Xiao, Zhaohua & Du, Limin & Wang, Zheng, 2023. "The Belt, the Road, and the carbon emissions in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    6. Wang, Mengjiao & Liu, Jianxu & Rahman, Sanzidur & Sun, Xiaoqi & Sriboonchitta, Songsak, 2023. "The effect of China’s outward foreign direct investment on carbon intensity of Belt and Road Initiative countries: A double-edged sword," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 792-808.
    7. Abdul Sattar & Muhammad Noshab Hussain & Muhammad Ilyas, 2022. "An Impact Evaluation of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on Environmental Degradation," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(1), pages 21582440221, March.
    8. Wilman-Santiago Ochoa-Moreno & Byron Alejandro Quito & Carlos Andrés Moreno-Hurtado, 2021. "Foreign Direct Investment and Environmental Quality: Revisiting the EKC in Latin American Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-18, November.
    9. Lisha, Liu & Mousa, Saeed & Arnone, Gioia & Muda, Iskandar & Huerta-Soto, Rosario & Shiming, Zhai, 2023. "Natural resources, green innovation, fintech, and sustainability: A fresh insight from BRICS," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C).
    10. Wenjun Li & Peng Li & Zhiming Feng & Chiwei Xiao, 2022. "GIS-Based Modeling of Human Settlement Suitability for the Belt and Road Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-17, May.
    11. Yang, Bo & Swe, Thidar & Chen, Yixuan & Zeng, Chunyuan & Shu, Hongchun & Li, Xin & Yu, Tao & Zhang, Xiaoshun & Sun, Liming, 2021. "Energy cooperation between Myanmar and China under One Belt One Road: Current state, challenges and perspectives," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(PB).
    12. Carmen Elena Stoenoiu, 2022. "Sustainable Development—A Path to a Better Future," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-13, July.
    13. Nwani, Chinazaekpere & Adams, Samuel, 2021. "Environmental cost of natural resource rents based on production and consumption inventories of carbon emissions: Assessing the role of institutional quality," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    14. Peng Yuelan & Muhammad Waqas Akbar & Zeenat Zia & Muhammad Imran Arshad, 2022. "Exploring the nexus between tax revenues, government expenditures, and climate change: empirical evidence from Belt and Road Initiative countries," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 55(3), pages 1365-1395, August.
    15. Chunbo Huang & Yi Qin & Xixi Du & Jiawen He & Xin Fan, 2022. "Ecosystem Health and Environmental Geography in the Belt and Road Regions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(10), pages 1-21, May.
    16. Yan Wu & Chunlai Chen & Cong Hu, 2021. "Does the Belt and Road Initiative Increase the Carbon Emission Intensity of Participating Countries?," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 29(3), pages 1-25, May.
    17. Lu, Qinli & Fang, Kai & Heijungs, Reinout & Feng, Kuishuang & Li, Jiashuo & Wen, Qi & Li, Yanmei & Huang, Xianjin, 2020. "Imbalance and drivers of carbon emissions embodied in trade along the Belt and Road Initiative," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    18. Ali, Qamar & Yaseen, Muhammad Rizwan & Anwar, Sofia & Makhdum, Muhammad Sohail Amjad & Khan, Muhammad Tariq Iqbal, 2021. "The impact of tourism, renewable energy, and economic growth on ecological footprint and natural resources: A panel data analysis," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    19. Danish, & Ulucak, Recep & Baloch, Muhammad Awais, 2023. "An empirical approach to the nexus between natural resources and environmental pollution: Do economic policy and environmental-related technologies make any difference?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    20. Jiang, Qingquan & Rahman, Zia Ur & Zhang, Xiaosan & Guo, Zhiqin & Xie, Qiaosheng, 2022. "An assessment of the impact of natural resources, energy, institutional quality, and financial development on CO2 emissions: Evidence from the B&R nations," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:24:p:17091-:d:1008309. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.