Opinion | How China is climate-proofing the belt and road, starting with Pakistan

Adapting to a changing climate is one of the world’s biggest challenges. China has made addressing the effects of climate change a priority in its Belt and Road Initiative, the multi-decade, continent-spanning policy and investment programme designed to accelerate the economic integration of countries along the ancient Silk Road trade route through increased infrastructure development.

This is important as many countries along the route are climate and ecological hotspots. Extreme weather has been reported across many parts of South Asia and southern Europe, causing significant economic loss and misery. Severe downpours, in particular, are becoming more frequent.

In the climate hotspot of Pakistan, rains that started in mid-June have turned into a mega monsoon, hitting the country with “superfloods” and displacing tens of millions of people. One-third of the country has been flooded; this is the most rainfall it has seen in at least three decades. Millions of people are at risk of contracting waterborne infections, going hungry, or not having adequate shelter since entire neighbourhoods have been wiped out.

As part of the Belt and Road Initiative, Pakistan has been working to diversify its energy generation and improve economic growth along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, while battling the earthquakes, typhoons, flooding and droughts that have plagued the country for years.