Green Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Lab
The Green Belt and Road Initiative Lab (Green BRI Lab) provides research, analyses, policy engagement, capacity building and intelligence on policies, economics, environment, sustainability and green finance of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – also known as Silk Road Initiative.
We strive to be the global leader for independent and research-based policy development, advisory and action to build an ecologically-friendly and green Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that is
- climate-neutral with zero greenhouse gas emissions,
- nature positive with protected biodiversity, and
- improves livelihoods for people.
Focus areas
Our work focuses on these areas:
- sustainable infrastructure
- sustainable transport
- renewable energy
- biodiversity finance
- green innovation
- green finance policy
- green agriculture
The Green BRI Lab is also engaged in capacity building for private and public institutions.
What is the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is China’s main international cooperation and economic strategy. The BRI is also known as the “One Belt One Road” (OBOR), the “Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-century Maritime Silk Road” or just the “New Silk Road”. Its Chinese name is 一带一路 (yi dai yi lu). It was announced by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Kazakhstan in October 2013.
Resources for the BRI
The Green Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Lab collected numerous sources to support research on the BRI. We make these publicly available for all:
- BRI policies, e.g. to green and sustainable BRI policies
- BRI databases, e.g. to BRI investment data
- BRI countries list
- BRI news sources (in progress)
We are always working on improving our resources. If you think we should add another resource relevant for the environmental, green, sustainable or social dimensions of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), please contact us at info@greenfdc.org.
Recent Green BRI publications
Here are recent and relevant publications on green BRI by our staff.
- Ten years of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI): Evolution and the road ahead
Introduction In September 2013, China’s President Xi announced the One Belt and One Road Initiative (OBOR). Initially, few observers paid it much attention. A decade later, the English name has - Elevating ESG: Empirical Lessons on Environmental, Social and Governance Implementation of Chinese Projects in AfricaChina is an important partner in providing critically needed finance and infrastructure development capacity for African countries. With a growing awareness of environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks associated with
- Workshop summary: Accelerating coal phase-down and green energy deployment in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Pakistan & VietnamAchieving global climate goals necessitates a rapid reduction of emissions from coal fired power stations through accelerated phase-down of coal fired power plants (CFPPs) and a rapid expansion of renewable
- New Report: Accelerating coal phase-down and green energy expansion in Vietnam – a Political Economy AnalysisIn a new report, Florian Wengel (Centre of Sustainable Finance, SOAS University of London), Christoph Nedopil (GFDC), and Uli Volz (also Centre for Sustainable Finance) analyze the opportunities for accelerated coal phase-down
- Report: Green Development Guidance for BRI Projects Phase III: Study of China Overseas Investment FundsIn April 2023, the Belt and Road Initiative International Green Development Coalition (BRIGC) published the Green Development Guidance for BRI Projects Phase III. In this report, the authors analyze how
- New report: Sunrise and Sunset – opportunities for accelerated coal phase-down and green energy expansion in PakistanIn a new report, Ziying Song, Christoph Nedopil (both GFDC), Haneea Asad (IEEFA Pakistan) and Muhammad Basit Ghauri (Renewables First Pakistan) analyze the opportunities for accelerated coal phase-down and green
