Greening the Belt and Road Initiative in Central Asia: The Case of Uzbekistan’s Renewable Energy Sector | Amsterdam University Press Journals Online
2004

Abstract

Since the 2nd Belt and Road Forum (BRF) held in 2019, a ‘Green and Sustainable Silk Road’ (GSSR) has become a major narrative promoted by the Chinese government. Broadly speaking, the GSSR agenda involves development projects aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in areas such as renewable energy, resource efficiency, climate resilience and adaptation, green infrastructure, and environmental governance. In a narrow sense, however, ‘greening’ of the Silk Road refers to Chinese lenders and investors’ green practices throughout the roll-out of the project. The overall aim of this study is to examine China’s overseas lending and investment practices within the wider context of the GSSR agenda. The investigation takes the form of a case-study, setting out to assess China’s lending and investment in Uzbekistan’s renewable energy sector (including hydro, solar, and wind power projects). Section 2 discusses the Chinese government’s efforts to unlock and promote green finance cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Section 3 offers a brief overview of Uzbekistan’s transition to clean energy, with a particular focus on the regulatory framework, energy development strategy, and procurement process. Section 4 analyses in detail Chinese lenders and investors’ involvement in hydro, solar, and wind power projects across the country. The purpose of the conclusion is twofold: 1) to assess Chinese lending and investment practices in Uzbekistan’s renewable energy sector, and 2) to elucidate the role of the host country in shaping the GSSR agenda.


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2022-06-01
2024-03-29
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