In the context of the UN warning governments around the world that they have only 12 years to act, the Silk Road Briefing article, Global Warming and its Impact on the Belt and Road, addresses the inseparable dynamics of climate change and BRI, especially for areas closer to water and the infrastructural dimension of the BRI. Climate change contains both perils and promises for BRI. In terms of promises, a new shipping route is, for instance, getting increasingly navigable through the Arctic region. Maersk, the Danish shipping company, recently made the first voyage from Vladivostok to St. Petersburg, a journey that took 15 days, thereby saving cost and producing less carbon footprint. As to the perils, the article points to potential destruction of existing infrastructure, demise of species, danger of flooding for various countries along the BRI, and so forth. Such changes will produce major socio-political impacts and disruptions. A new science, geo-engineering is being born. China has developed the world’s largest geo-engineering research facilities at Beijing Normal University. The article argues that China’s unified approach is a potential advantage in possibly tackling such problems as the political, business, scientific, and commercial elites are all operating ‘under one roof’.
The Bloomberg article, France Sounds Cautious Note on China's Belt and Road Initiative, addresses contrasting trends in Europe with regard to BRI, namely, France’s cautionary approach towards and Italy’s enthusiastic embrace of BRI. The article unpacks a new report by the French Treasury that expresses serious hesitations in terms of BRI’s ‘economic stability for recipient countries and access for European business’. The report predicts that BRI will cause growth in developing countries but it is not clear how much European businesses will benefit from this. This is happening while Italy is drawing up a memorandum of understanding with China to extend Belt and Road in Italy. Italy has also distanced itself from a French proposal to strengthen screening of foreign investment in Europe. The overall question remains as to whether or not the EU can ever develop a unified voice with regard to BRI.
M. Forough
This week's Silk Road Headlines
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