BRI International Green Development Coalition 2020 Policy Study Series

Green Development Guidance for BRI Projects Baseline Study Report

December 2020 In April 2019, Chinese and international partners officially launched the BRI International Green Development Coalition (BRIGC) at the Second Belt and Road Forums for International Cooperation. BRIGC aims to establish a policy dialogue and communication platform, an environmental knowledge and information platform, and a green technology exchange and transfer platform, so as to advance global consensus, understanding, cooperation, and action of a green Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

BRIGC officially launched the Joint Research on Green Development Guidance for BRI Projects (Guidance Project) in December 2019, with the purposes to explore the formulation of guidelines on the assessment and classifi- cation of BRI projects from the perspective of preventing ecological and environmental risks, establish risk preven- tion and management system, provide green solutions for BRI project, and support decision making for stakeholders.

This report is the Baseline Study (Phase I of the Guidance Project). Through in-depth analysis of environmental policies, safeguard measures and practices of govern- ments, financial institutions and NGOs around the world, this report summarizes best practices for recognize and address ecological, environmental & climate risks in overseas investment, formulates a classification framework and positive & negative lists for BRI investments, and put forward specific suggestions to promote green develop- ment for BRI projects.

Secretariat of BRIGC Ms. Qiao Yujie Tel: +86-10-82268647 Fax: +86-10-82200535 Address: No. 5, Houyingfang Hutong, Xicheng District, Beijing 100035, China Website: www.brigc.net Email: [email protected]; [email protected] Green Development Guidance for BRI Projects Baseline Study

Research Team*

I. Advisors International Advisors Ms. Kate HAMPTON, Convener of the BRIGC Advisory Committee, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) Ms. James THORNTON, Advisor of the BRIGC Advisory Committee, CEO of ClientEarth Mr. ZHANG Jianyu, International Liaison of the BRIGC Advisory Committee, Vice President of Environmental Defense Fund Mr. Manish BAPNA, Executive Vice President and Managing Director of World Resources Institute (WRI) Mr. Qasim Wasim DAR, Head of Social and Environmental Policy, Investment Banking, Habib Bank Limited (HBL) Mr. Henri de BRANCHE, Senior Environmental Specialist, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Chinese Advisors Mr. YE Yanfei, Counsel (DG Level), Policy Research Bureau, China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission (CBIRC) Mr. MA Jun, Advisor of the BRIGC Advisory Committee; Director, Research Center for Green Finance Development, Tsinghua University Mr. ZHU Xufeng, Associate Dean, School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University Ms. YIN Hong, Deputy Director, Modern Finance Research Center, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) Mr. ZHAO Kun, Director, Policy Research Division, BRI Construction Promotion Center, NDRC II. Project Leaders Mr. Erik SOLHEIM, Special Advisor World Resources Institute (WRI) Ms. ZHOU Guomei, Executive Director-General (DG level), Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center (FECO), Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) III. Research Team Members International Members Mr. Christoph NEDOPIL, Director Green BRI Center, International Institute of Green Finance, Central University of Finance and Economics (CUFE) Ms. WANG Ye, Research Analyst, Finance Center, World Resources Institute (WRI) Mr. XIE Wenhong, China Program Director, Climate Bonds Initiative (CBI) Mr. Dimitri De BOER, Chief Representative, China Office, ClientEarth (International Coordinator) Ms. LIU Shuang, Senior Associate and China Finance Lead, World Resources Institute (WRI) Ms. CHEN Xiaoting, Director, Global Coordination, Greening BRI Initiative, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Chinese Members Mr. LI Yonghong, Deputy Director General of Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center (FECO), Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE)

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Mr. ZHU Yuan, Associate Researcher, Appraisal Center for Environment and Engineering (ACEE), Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) Ms. LAN Yan, Deputy Director, BRI International Green Development Coalition (BRIGC) Secretariat, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) (Chinese Coordinator) Ms. LI Panwen, BRI International Green Development Coalition (BRIGC) Secretariat, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) Ms. ZHAO Haishan, BRI International Green Development Coalition (BRIGC) Secretariat, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) IV. Support Organizations Foreign Environmental Cooperation Center (FECO), Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) Appraisal Center for Environment and Engineering (ACEE), Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) World Resources Institute (WRI) ClientEarth Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF)

* The authors and advisors of this policy study serve in their personal capacities. The views and opinions expressed in this report are those of the individual experts participating in the research and do not represent those of their organizations and the BRI International Green Development Coalition.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...... I LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS ...... VI CHAPTER 1. JOINT RESEARCH ON GREEN DEVELOPMENT GUIDANCE FOR BELT AND ROAD INITIATIVE PROJECTS ...... 1 RESEARCH BACKGROUND ...... 1 SIGNIFICANCE ...... 2 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY ...... 3 METHODOLOGY AND STRUCTURE ...... 4 CHAPTER 2. BEST PRACTICES TO ACCELERATE GREEN AND REDUCE BROWN INVESTMENT ...... 6 GOVERNMENT AND REGULATORY PRACTICES ...... 6 2.1.1 Best government and regulatory practices along project finance ...... 7 2.1.2 Best practices across environmental aspects ...... 15 FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS’ POLICIES AND PRACTICES ...... 16 2.2.1 Best financial institution practices along project finance ...... 18 2.2.2 Best practices across environmental aspects ...... 26 NGO AND FINANCIAL ASSOCIATION PRACTICES ...... 28 2.3.1 Best practices along project finance ...... 28 2.3.2 Best NGO practices across environmental aspects ...... 36 CHAPTER 3. ESTABLISH THE BRI PROJECT CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM ...... 38 CATEGORIES OF PROJECTS ...... 38 PROJECT CLASSIFICATION PROCESS ...... 40 SPECIFIC PROJECT CLASSIFICATION CRITERIA ...... 42 CHAPTER 4. PROVIDE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE BRI PROJECT LISTS ...... 46 CHAPTER 5. ENHANCE THE LIFECYCLE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT OF BRI PROJECTS ...... 55 RECOMMENDATION 1: GREEN DEVELOPMENT GUIDANCE APPLICABLE ACROSS THE WHOLE PROJECT LIFECYCLE ...... 55 RECOMMENDATIONS 2 TO 5: PROJECT PLANNING AND EVALUATION PHASE ...... 56 RECOMMENDATIONS 6 TO 7: PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION PHASE ...... 59 RECOMMENDATIONS 8 TO 9: PROJECT DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING PHASE ...... 60 CHAPTER 6. PRIORITIZED AREA OF ACTION TO FORMULATE THE GREEN DEVELOPMENT GUIDANCE ...... 63 KEY AUTHORITIES FOR APPROVING AND REGULATING BRI PROJECTS ...... 63 PRIORITIZED AREA OF ACTION TO FORMULATE THE GREEN DEVELOPMENT GUIDANCE ...... 65 6.2.1 Establish a BRI classification system ...... 65 6.2.2 Explore the environmental risk assessment for BRI key industries ...... 65 6.2.3 Apply rigorous supervision and exercise ESMS ...... 65 6.2.4 Establish a sound incentive/punishment mechanism ...... 65 6.2.5 Support piloting and demonstrate of the recommended Guidance ...... 66

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APPENDICES ...... 67 APPENDIX 1: DO NO SIGNIFICANT HARM ASSESSMENT FOR CEMENT MANUFACTURING BASED ON EU TAXONOMY ...... 67 APPENDIX 2: COMPARISON OF LEADING GREEN FRAMEWORKS ...... 68 APPENDIX 3: MAPPING KEY STANDARDS, FRAMEWORKS, AND INITIATIVES ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND CLIMATE RISKS OF FINANCIAL SECTOR ...... 70 APPENDIX 4: COMPARISON OF LEADING GREEN TAXONOMIES ...... 74 APPENDIX 5: TASK FORCE ON CLIMATE-RELATED FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES’ FOUR CORE REPORTING ELEMENTS ...... 76 APPENDIX 6: SUMMARY OF TOOLS DEDICATED TO NATURAL CAPITAL ...... 76 REFERENCES ...... 78

LIST OF TABLES

Table 2-1: Example from EU Taxonomy on Environmental Thresholds for Inclusion, Proposed by EU- Commissioned Technical Expert Group ...... 10 Table 2-2: Global Sustainable Investment Alliance’s Approach to Sustainable Investment Tracking .. 30 Table 2-3: Comparison of Leading Green Evaluation and Certification Schemes ...... 32 Table 3-1: Concepts of Positive Environmental Impact and Significant Harm ...... 42 Table 3-2: Specific Contribution and Harm Criteria for Green Development Guidance ...... 44 Table 4-1: Positive and Negative Lists of BRI Projects ...... 47 Table 5-1: Recommendations for Project Planning and Evaluation ...... 57 Table 5-2: Recommendations for Project Implementation Phase ...... 59 Table 5-3: Recommendations for Reporting and Disclosure ...... 61

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1-1: Research Aspects of the Mapping of Best Practices ...... 5 Figure 2-1: Inclusion and Do No Significant Harm Process ...... 12 Figure 2-2: The Biodiversity Mitigation Hierarchy ...... 28 Figure 2-3: Moody’s Environmental Risks Global Heatmap ...... 29 Figure 2-4: Sustainability Accounting Standards Board Materiality Map ...... 33 Figure 3-1: Project Classification Process for the BRI Green Light System ...... 41 Figure 5-1: Three Phases of Project Lifecycle where Green Development Guidance is Applicable...... 56 Figure 6-1: Approval and Management Process of China’s Overseas Investment, simplified...... 63

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LIST OF BOXES

Box 1: Corporate Liability for Environmental Violations in Third Countries through Forum Non Conveniens versus Host Country Rule ...... 6 Box 2: Equator Principles—Best Practices for Managing Environmental Risks for Financial Institutions ...... 16 Box 3: Five Principles for Development Finance Institutions ...... 18 Box 4: Exclusion Lists of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank ...... 19 Box 5: Overview of International Finance Corporation’s Eight Performance Standards ...... 22 Box 6: Seven Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road ...... 34 Box 7: How to Read the Positive and Negative List of Belt and Road Initiative Projects in Table 4-1 .. 46

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Executive Summary

Green is the color of the "Belt and Road Initiative" Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the global economic development has been severely affected. Most countries’ economies are experiencing negative economic growth, resulting in serious economic difficulties for societies. Against the shock of the epidemic, countries have realized that the world is one community with one shared future for mankind, and that policies and practice based on interconnections, openness, and inclusiveness are the only way to cope with a global crisis and to achieve long-term development. With green recovery a core concern of global economic recovery policy, the international community expects the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) to play an important role in contributing to a global green recovery. A green BRI will provide a platform for all countries to share in a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable development mechanism, and to implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Making “green” the color of BRI is again underlined in China’s newly formulated 14th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development and the 2035 Vision of the 5th Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in October 2020. China and BRI participating countries have actively carried out bilateral and regional cooperation already since 2013 for ecological and environmental governance, biodiversity conservation, and climate change response, continually consolidating and deepening Green BRI implementation, and jointly promoting implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which has achieved positive results. Accelerating BRI green development raises parallel requirements of promoting green infrastructure and of strengthening the quality and assurance of ecological environments. The construction of BRI includes many infrastructure projects, which bear various environmental and climate risks. On the one hand, the environmental and climatic conditions of BRI participating countries are varied and are often of a high level of environmental and climatic sensitivity. Most of Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia, North Africa, and neighboring regions comprise developing nations with a great demand for large-scale energy, minerals, industry, and infrastructure projects, leading to rapidly rising resource consumption and pollutant emissions. On the other hand, risk identification and prevention mechanisms of overseas investment must be improved; the application and promotion of green investment and financing tools are insufficient; and eco-environmental risk management of many overseas investment projects needs enhancement. Strengthening risk prevention and management is an important part of Green BRI and a part of consolidating and deepening BRI development. Since 2013, the Chinese government has issued a series of policy documents to strengthen eco-environmental risk prevention and management of BRI: the Guiding Opinions on Promoting the Construction of Green BRI was based on “preventing eco-environmental risks and ensuring eco-environmental safety,” to “promote the formulation and implementation of policies and measures to prevent eco-environmental risks of investment and financing projects, and strengthen the environmental management of foreign investment”; the BRI Eco-environmental Protection Cooperation Plan proposed to “guide green investment decision-making and strengthen environmental risk management in BRI and other foreign investment projects.” Most recently in November 2020, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) together with four other ministries/regulators jointly issued the “guidance on promoting investment and financing to address climate change,” which promotes the active integration of climate investment and financing into the BRI and aims to “encourage financial institutions to support the low-carbon development in BRI and South-South Cooperation, and advance the launch of overseas climate mitigation and adaptation projects.” It is necessary to formulate a set of clear and practical green development guidelines for BRI projects.To accelerate construction of Green BRI and fully implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially by creating investment and cooperation opportunities to promote post-COVID social and economic development, a set of clear and operable guidelines for the green development of BRI projects is needed to help stakeholders join force in accelerating the green, low-carbon, and sustainable investment. This report analyzed the best practices from governments, financial institutions and non- governmental organizations (NGOs) on their environmental policies, safeguard measures and actions greening the investment. Based on the best practices, the report developed a project classification system

i Green Development Guidance for BRI Projects Baseline Study that forms the positive and negative lists, and proposed recommendations to guide the green development of BRI projects. Establish the BRI Project Classification System and the Positive and Negative Lists Classification of projects according to their environmental impacts is commonly used to manage financing of projects. For example, the Equator Principles (EP) require banks to differentiate projects by environmental risks as A, B, C. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), as stipulated in its Environmental and Social Framework, classifies projects based on their environment