China’s Green Belt and Road Initiative Might Save Us All
- Gowri Rayannavar
- Apr 22
- 2 min read
Walking outside in early March in Texas was like a dream. Cool breezes, the sun peeking out of some clouds, and hearing the birds chirp is now only a memory. Now I walk out into humid air that clings to your skin with temperatures above 85 degrees fahrenheit. Climate change is a serious problem that is affecting everybody around the world.
Carbon emission is the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and the leading cause of climate change. This is primarily from burning fossil fuels and industrial processes that ultimately trap heat into our atmosphere causing a rise in temperatures and extreme weather conditions. From 1990 to 2023, there has been a 51% increase in greenhouse gases that directly impact global warming, 42% of it being from carbon dioxide itself.
China’s president Xi Jinping established the Green belt and Road Initiative in 2013 to change our carbon footprint. This massive infrastructure and investment project connects Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe to promote sustainability with green infrastructure, renewable energy, and environmental safeguards while fostering the world’s economic system. China and its partnerships with 149 other countries have raised 1.175 trillion USD for infrastructural developments towards reducing the amount of carbon produced by promoting the use of efficient energy, like solar energy. Overall, they have many projects connecting countries around the world to help sustain a world system of trade and finance while protecting the environment.
While this might not reverse all the damage climate change has done to our environment and homes, it is one step closer to making a change, a change that proves we can live our lives in a sustainable fashion for the longevity of our planet to thrive.
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