Abstract

• China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is expected to be the largest infrastructure development scheme of the 21st century.
• There are mounting concerns over its potential impacts on biodiversity and the environment. Infrastructure development and energy projects supported by BRI have the potential to threaten the biological diversity in Southeast Asia, a global biodiversity hotspot.
• Environmental regulations and enforcement in China are improving, though the question is whether Chinese companies and China-funded projects operating outside China adhere to these improved standards.
• It will take multiple actors coming together to bring about sustainable growth and opportunities for Southeast Asia. The Chinese government and financiers as well as agencies and governments where BRI investments take place need to make concrete commitments to sustainable development beyond impact mitigation.