BRI, BRICS, & Global South~
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China-built BRI mega port in Peru
The new $3.5 billion Chancay megaport in Peru, built by China under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is set to boost trade between South America and China, changing regional economic dynamics and raising concerns in the United States. The $3.5 billion deep-water port in Chancay, Peru, mainly owned by China’s Cosco Shipping, is causing Continue reading
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‘Nature-based Solutions’ with Chinese characteristics
China’s approach to “nature-based solutions” (NbS) is beginning to go global. But what is it and what opportunities might it afford developing countries? NbS is a globally used concept, but a May 2024 scientific paper argues that it may have specific meanings in China. ** In a nutshell, Chinese NbS focus on large-scale, “eco-developmental” projects Continue reading
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Georgia and China to build major BRI port on Black Sea
On May 29, 2024 Georgian Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Levan Davitashvili announced that a Chinese-Singaporean consortium had won the tender for the construction of the Anaklia deep-sea port in Georgia on the Black Sea. The consortium includes China Communication Construction Company and China Harbor Investment, with China Road and Bridge Corporation and Qingdao Port International Continue reading
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BRICS introduces “partner country” status as stepping stone to full membership
The BRICS group of nations has slowed down the accession of new membership in the group – it has voted to temporarily suspend new membership applications and focus on integrating the countries which have joined most recently. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced this decision in Minsk on June 25, 2024. Lavrov said that the Continue reading
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Chinese Used Solar Panels Transforming Africa
Despite over a decade of efforts by the US to hinder China’s photovoltaic industry, China’s PV sector has emerged strong, leading the world. China stands at the forefront of the global photovoltaic (PV) industry, boasting remarkable achievements in both production and innovation. With a staggering production share of over 90% for polysilicon and 98% for Continue reading
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Malaysia and Thailand seek to join BRICS alliance
Malaysia joins Thailand as south east Asian nations seeking entry into the BRICS bloc in 2024. Over the last several years, the BRICS alliance has increased its influence in global geopolitics. It has sought to use this expanded influence and de-dollarization to reshape global finance. Moreover, it has continually sought to implement a multipolar world Continue reading
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Chinese company powers Egypt’s clean energy future at Benban Solar Park in Aswan
Egypt is at the heart of the global solar belt, and thus it is one of the richest countries in the world for solar energy. The Benban Solar Park in Aswanhas become a paradigm of China-Egypt cooperation under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative. Egypt became a full member of the BRICS group of developing Continue reading
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Dam shows potential of China-Kenya BRI partnership
The Chinese-built Thwake Multipurpose Dam in Kenya is almost complete, and its commissioning later this year will pave the way for the country’s socio-economic transformation. The dam, located at the intersection of the rivers Thwake and Athi, in the south of Kenya, is constructed by China Gezhouba Group Co, is the pioneer project of China-Kenya Continue reading
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China invests almost 4 times more in clean energy than in fossil fuels
The world will invest $2 trillion in clean energy this year, according to a new report from the International Energy Agency (IEA). This is roughly double the amount being put towards fossil fuels, the agency said. China is putting 3.7 times more money into clean energy than it is investing in fossil fuels. The world Continue reading
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Rising sea levels threaten global oil trade & energy security
Image: Shanghai inundation at 4C sea level rise ASIA MOST AFFECTED According to a report released in Hong Kong on May 21, 2024 by China Water Risk (CWR) instead of providing energy security, global oil supply chains are increasingly threatened by rising sea levels. The report warns that the entire oil supply chain is in for Continue reading
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What’s behind China’s shift to environmental diplomacy?
CHINA’S infrastructure investments across the Global South are well documented. Less well known, however, is China’s turn to environmental diplomacy. Amid rising geopolitical tensions and hard-power politics, China is also leveraging soft power. This shift is marked by environment- and development-focused initiatives, such as the BRI Green Development Coalition in 2017 and the Global Development Continue reading
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Google oligarchy ranks filled with CIA agents: ‘national security’ search engine
“The United States intelligence community funded, nurtured and incubated Google as part of a drive to dominate the world through control of information. Seed-funded by the NSA and CIA, Google was merely the first among a plethora of private sector start-ups co-opted by US intelligence to retain ‘information superiority.“ Google now almost completely dominates on-line Continue reading
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Angola’s energy future: China-built hydropower
Cover photo: China is currently building Angola’s largest dam on the Kwanza River. Angola has a huge demand for electricity due to growing urbanization, especially in the capital city of Luanda with approximately five to six million inhabitants. Angola has an electrification rate of about 30%, which the government wants to increased to 60% by Continue reading
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Vietnam seeks China’s expertise in power sector transformation
Proposal for joint Vietnam-China cooperation on a range of projects focusing on the development of integrated energy centres, high-voltage power transmission lines, and the production of new green fuels in Việtnam. Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Trần Hồng Hà has commended China’s advancements in energy modernisation, particularly its renewable energy development and expertise across all stages, Continue reading
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China’s biodiversity fund for developing nations
Cover photo: UN Environment Program Executive Director Inger Andersen and China’s Minister for Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu Kunming Biodiversity Fund launched in Beijing. A China-initiated fund aimed at supporting biodiversity conservation in developing countries was launched in Beijing on Tuesday, which is expected to “make a significant contribution” to helping these countries conserve and Continue reading
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Large Russian solar power plant for Mali
BRICS-member Russia’s energy giant Rosatom is building solar power plant in Africa. The Mali government has announced that Russia’s state-owned Rosatom has begun construction of a large solar power plant in the country. This should be seen in the wider context of Mali’s militant rejection of the Western military presence and interference. Mali, a land-locked Continue reading
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Xi-Putin on Environment, BRI and BRICS
Joint statement between the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation on deepening their comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. At the invitation of President Xi Jinping of the People’s Republic of China, President Vladimir Putin of the Russian Federation conducted a state visit to the People’s Republic of China from Continue reading
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Climate funding strings for poor nations
Climate funding: wealthy countries attach strings for developing world. Japan, France, Germany, the United States and other wealthy nations are reaping billions of dollars in financial gains as part of developed nations’ pledge to provide $100 billion a year to poorer countries to help them reduce emissions and cope with extreme weather from climate change. Continue reading
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China agriculture’s invaluable lessons
Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change says China’s sustainable agricultural practices offer valuable lessons China is leading the charge in sustainable agriculture, balancing high productivity with eco-friendly practices. The country’s innovative farming methods offer valuable lessons for other Global South countries looking to improve their agricultural systems. Sustainable farming practices are increasingly gaining attention as countries Continue reading
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BRICS embraces blockchain technology
BRICS to Embrace Blockchain Technology to Foster Collaboration and Innovation. In March 2024, Russian media outlets TASS and RT reported that a senior foreign policy aide to the Russian President said in an interview that the BRICS group of emerging economies plan to create an international payment system based on blockchain digital technologies. _________________________________________________________________________ Introduction: Continue reading
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China aids Uzbekistan’s Aral Sea revival
Greening the Silk Road: China’s contributes sustainable water saving technology to improve harvest and ecosystem in Central Asia’s Aral Sea Once the world’s fourth-largest lake, the Aral Sea, located between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, has shrunk remarkably since 1960 — with its surface area dwindling from 67,000 square km in 1960 to just 6,000 in 2020. Continue reading
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Rapid rise of renewables for electricity
Wind and solar are growing faster than any other sources of electricity in history, according to new analysis from thinktank Ember. Clean capacity expansion The report says that wind and solar are now growing fast enough to exceed rising demand, meaning there will be a peak in fossil fuel electricity generation – and emissions – from Continue reading
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BRI: Hungary-China ties deepen
Hungary deepens ties with China through BRI ventures Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said that the government of Hungary has finalised 18 bilateral agreements with China, with key deals focusing on infrastructure projects, some of which also include Serbia. These agreements were signed during discussions between Chinese leader Xi Jinping and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Continue reading
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Russia-China far-east green hydrogen
BRICS nations Russia and China jointly develop hydrogen project on Sakhalin Island An initiative is underway on Russia’s far-eastern island of Sakhalin, with plans for the country’s inaugural green hydrogen installation set to materialize by June’s end, according to Energy News. The project aims to establish a Hydrogen Engineering Centre at the Special Design Bureau Continue reading
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Three BRICS members global solar leaders
BRICS members China, India and Brazil are among the world’s top solar power generators. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), in 2023 China commissioned as much solar energy generation as the entire world did in 2022. China, USA, India and Brazil collectively accounted for 75% of global solar growth last year. For the 19th consecutive year solar energy Continue reading
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China helps build solar plant in Serbia
Chinese-built Serbian solar plant a few days away from grid connection The first ground-based photovoltaic project constructed by a Chinese company in Serbia, called the Saraorci photovoltaic project, is expected to be connected to the grid and commence commercial operations by the end of this month. The Saraorci Photovoltaic Power Plant, one of the largest Continue reading
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China built Serbia to Hungary Railway
BELT & ROAD INITIATIVE IN EUROPE Chinese-backed Rail Line Brings Benefits to Serbia, Hungary The Chinese-built Hungary-Serbia railway, a fruitful result of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), has significantly enhanced Serbian people and foreign tourists’ travel convenience and introduced innovative technologies to both Serbia and Hungary. Once fully completed, the line – a hallmark Continue reading
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Hungary, China solar energy storage
By 2030, Hungary will have the fourth largest capacity in the world for storing green energy after China, the United States and Germany. Forest-Vill, the Hungarian company behind the storage facility says construction is underway for the EUR 21 million, 20 MW storage facility, located near Szolnok. Chinese company Huawei will provide the equipment for Continue reading
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BRICS challenge to World Bank
End of Western hegemony: BRICS+ challenge World Bank Since its formation the World Bank has promoted and consolidated Western hegemony, imposed draconian neo-liberal economic policies and perpetuated global inequalities The World Bank has been the target of extensive criticism over the years by developing nations, centering on its operational practices and the broader implications of Continue reading
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China helps Ethiopia with off-grid solar
Ethiopian utility and Huawei sign MoU to provide solar electricity to communities in off-grid areas Ethiopia, which joined the BRICS group of emerging economies on 1 January 2024, currently generates around 90% percent of its electricity from renewable sources due to its large hydropower capacity. However, according to to World Bank only just over half of Continue reading
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New anti-China narrative: overcapacity
During her visit to China at the beginning of April, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen expressed her concern about an alleged overcapacity in the Asian giant’s new energy sector. In the last few weeks, this idea has been circulating in the Western media, accusing the Chinese government’s subsidies to energy sector companies as “unfair”. The Continue reading
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BRICS invites Serbia to summit in October
Various media sources have reported that the BRICS bloc has invited Serbia to its next summit in Russia later this year. Russia holds the BRICS presidency in 2024, with the central event of its presidency being the summit of BRICS leaders in Kazan in October. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has stated that he will consider Continue reading
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Ethiopia’s Chinese Electric Buses
Chinese electric buses introduced to Ethiopia to advance green transport agenda In Addis Ababa, capital of Ethiopia, the city’s mounting gridlock is creating safety and health risks, producing more greenhouse gas emissions and impeding economic development. Ethiopia became a member of the BRICS bloc of emerging economies on January 1, 2024. In late March 2024, Continue reading
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Sustainability China’s next economic goal
Sustainability driving China’s next economic transformation Writing in the South China Morning Post, analyst Lub Bun Chong reflects on the fact that many Western narratives “red-flag” China’s economic situation but in doing so do not grasp that these are the side-effects of the transformations China initiated in 2014 by ushering in a “new normal” and Continue reading
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Cloud seeding not responsible for UAE flood
Climate change, not cloud seeding, responsible for UAE flood Crazy and baseless rumours are circulating that the recent flood in the BRICS-member United Arab Emirates was caused by cloud seeding. No so. There was no recent cloud seeding activity conducted prior to the storm. It was totally compatible with the impacts of climate change. Certain Continue reading
China Environment News 