How red-flagging coal can help align belt and road projects with China’s climate ambitions
- More transparency in managing belt and road projects’ environmental risks could address concerns of China’s overseas presence in coal and other projects, laying the foundation for greener, more sustainable development

In the five years since the initiative’s inception, one sector has remained steadfast in China’s ever-growing stream of outward investments: energy.
With the energy sector central to the future of global emissions, these investments have also, however, raised concerns amid the global call for a green recovery. As the world wakes up to the urgent threats of climate change and biodiversity loss, China’s continuing support of coal power in its belt and road project portfolio is being put under ever more scrutiny.
According to Boston University’s China’s Global Power Database, Chinese invested in 23.4 gigawatts worth of coal power plant capacity in overseas markets from 2002 to 2017, accounting for 30 per cent of total investment in overseas power plants.
