One belt, One road, multinational enterprises, environmental impacts, sustainability innovations, governance instruments
Abstract
By initiating the development of a gigantic international trade network across
Asia, Europe and Africa, with several trade corridors that will span around 60
countries, China intends to stimulate substantial economic growth. Already in
the first phase, focused on building an adequate infrastructure, multinational
enterprises will play a vital role in developing the so-called New Silk Road
or the 'One Belt, One Road' initiative. This article inquires into the environmental impacts that a venture of this magnitude will entail and discusses the potential of the available voluntary and mandatory governance instruments to lead the key economic actors to take sustainability criteria into account.
