Along the route of BRI are mostly developing countries and emerging economies that are highly dependent on resources in their economic development and generally face the contradictions between development and protection because of industrialization and urbanization. During the building of BRI, Chinese businesses have brought China’s ideas of ecological civilization, best practices, as well as advanced technologies and equipment to the BRI partner countries, which will set an example for the latecomers, so they can avoid depending on the traditional development paths and lock-in effect and thus achieve green, low-carbon, and sustainable development in coordinating economic development and environmental protection.

Building a green Belt and Road through joint efforts is both a significant part of high-quality BRI development and a common aspiration of people from all countries. To achieve this goal, we should enhance the alignment of ideas of ecological civilization and green development strategies among partner countries, improve the green development in infrastructure building, international capacity cooperation, and trade activities, innovate in green financial mechanisms, carry out projects of ecological environmental protection that affects people’s well-being, and thus create a Silk Road featuring low carbon, environmental-friendliness, and vitality.

Green development is embodied in the policy alignment and concept recognition with countries along the route, in highly efficient trade activities, connectivity, and international capacity cooperation, in strengthening cooperation in ecological conservation and environmental protection, and in enhancing people’s sense of fulfilment in terms of environment in countries along the route. Through foreign aid, technology transfer, industrial cooperation, and other means, efforts will be made to effectively enhance the environmental protection capabilities of countries along the route, reduce and control pollutant emission, and bring about actual improvements in our environment.