How China is climate-proofing the belt and road, starting with Pakistan
Adapting to a changing climate is one of the world’s biggest challenges. China has made addressing the effects of climate change a priority in its Belt and Road Initiative, the multi-decade, continent-spanning policy and investment programme designed to accelerate the economic integration of countries along the ancient Silk Road trade route through increased infrastructure development.
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As part of the Belt and Road Initiative, Pakistan has been working to diversify its energy generation and improve economic growth along the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, while battling the earthquakes, typhoons, flooding and droughts that have plagued the country for years.
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As part of the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s Lanzhou University is building a light detection and ranging (lidar) network, and conducting atmospheric monitoring and research with international partners such as Pakistan. Lidar works by detecting the relative movement of air in the atmosphere using a laser.
Last month, Lanzhou University helped set up a state-of-the-art weather monitoring station at Pakistan’s Peshawar University. As the first meteorological lidar observation station in the country, it will help predict the weather and environmental disasters, as well as study climate change. The station is part of the belt and road lidar network that includes eight stations in China.
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