Environmental damage from Belt and Road Initiative projects on rise
Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) have had a negative impact on the environment of all the countries where they have been implemented. They have increased the environmental crisis in already vulnerable regions by increasing air and water pollution and have led to water shortage and soil erosion.
According to a World Bank report, the large infrastructure projects under the BRI expose the countries and local communities to environmental and social risks. A study released by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and HSBC on ‘Greening the Belt and Road Initiative’ found that getting the BRI to ‘go green’ has not gained proper attention of the financial institutions and the private sector.
European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) also reported that the BRI is causing significant environmental risks. According to a report of the Collective on Chinese Financing and Investments, Human Rights and the Environment (CICDHA), that looked at 26 projects in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Peru and Venezuela, the Chinese-funded infrastructure, energy and mining projects have contributed to deforestation and water pollution.
It noted that many of the projects have damaged local watersheds, either by polluting them with cyanide, metabisulfite and peroxide, or interfering with river flows that resulted in flooding or droughts. According to a report published by the NGO Business & Human Rights Resource Centre, Chinese companies involved in the extraction of minerals have been accused of committing numerous human rights violations in other countries.
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