IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i20p11216-d653901.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Spatio-Temporal Characteristics of Green Development Cooperation Network among Belt and Road Initiative Regions and Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Bin Wang

    (Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China)

  • Ao Sun

    (School of Geography, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China)

  • Qiuxia Zheng

    (Chongqing Academy of Economics Research, Chongqing 401147, China)

  • Dianting Wu

    (Faculty of Geographical Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China)

Abstract

There is a global need to jointly build the green Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in order to develop a philosophy of ecological civilisation and achieve sustainable development. This paper aims to analyse the temporal and spatial characteristics of the green development cooperation (GDC) network among BRI regions and countries and explore the reasons for its formation. To this end, the first step was to analyse the spatial and temporal characteristics of green development capability in six regions of 104 BRI countries from 2013 to 2019 using the synthetic evaluation model and entropy method. Next, social network analysis was used to analyse three characteristics of the GDC network: network structure, node structure, and community structure. Moreover, the indicators of network strength and network correlation were used to estimate the structural characteristics of the entire GDC network, while degree centrality, betweenness centrality, and closeness centrality were used to estimate the role and status of countries in the GDC network. In addition, modularity optimisation was used to analyse the community structure and regional effects of the GDC network. The results show that (1) the green development capability of the BRI countries has spatial and temporal heterogeneity. (2) The GDC network among the BRI countries has been initially formed, and has the characteristics of high connectedness, high efficiency, low density, and low hierarchy. (3) The GDC network has community structure and regional effect, showing polycentric and hierarchical characteristics. (4) China, Russia, and the European countries have stronger radiating and controlling power. Central Asian countries along the land Silk Road and Indian Ocean countries along the maritime Silk Road play a significant role as intermediaries and bridges, while the BRICS and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) countries play a vital role as the central actors. Finally, some theoretical and practical implications are put forward to provide a blueprint for jointly achieving the sustainable development goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Bin Wang & Ao Sun & Qiuxia Zheng & Dianting Wu, 2021. "Spatio-Temporal Characteristics of Green Development Cooperation Network among Belt and Road Initiative Regions and Countries," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-30, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:20:p:11216-:d:653901
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/20/11216/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/20/11216/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kang, Moon Jung & Park, Jihyoun, 2013. "Analysis of the partnership network in the clean development mechanism," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 543-553.
    2. Qiting Zuo & Yixuan Diao & Lingang Hao & Chunhui Han, 2020. "Comprehensive Evaluation of the Human-Water Harmony Relationship in Countries Along the “Belt and Road”," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 34(13), pages 4019-4035, October.
    3. Wu, Haitao & Hao, Yu & Ren, Siyu, 2020. "How do environmental regulation and environmental decentralization affect green total factor energy efficiency: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    4. I-Chun Catherine Chang & Helga Leitner & Eric Sheppard, 2016. "A Green Leap Forward? Eco-State Restructuring and the Tianjin-Binhai Eco-City Model," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(6), pages 929-943, June.
    5. Hongpeng Guo & Shuang Xu & Chulin Pan, 2020. "Measurement of the Spatial Complexity and Its Influencing Factors of Agricultural Green Development in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-18, November.
    6. Li, Ye & Chen, Yiyan & Li, Qun, 2020. "Assessment analysis of green development level based on S-type cloud model of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    7. Lu, Qinli & Fang, Kai & Heijungs, Reinout & Feng, Kuishuang & Li, Jiashuo & Wen, Qi & Li, Yanmei & Huang, Xianjin, 2020. "Imbalance and drivers of carbon emissions embodied in trade along the Belt and Road Initiative," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    8. Yuanxin Peng & Zhuo Chen & Juanzhi Xu & Jay Lee, 2020. "Analysis of green total factor productivity trend and its determinants for the countries along silk roads," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(4), pages 1711-1726, December.
    9. Anne Ter Wal & Ron Boschma, 2009. "Applying social network analysis in economic geography: framing some key analytic issues," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 43(3), pages 739-756, September.
    10. Wu Hao & Syed Mehmood Ali Shah & Ahsan Nawaz & Ali Asad & Shahid Iqbal & Hafiz Zahoor & Ahsen Maqsoom, 2020. "The Impact of Energy Cooperation and the Role of the One Belt and Road Initiative in Revolutionizing the Geopolitics of Energy among Regional Economic Powers: An Analysis of Infrastructure Development," Complexity, Hindawi, vol. 2020, pages 1-16, October.
    11. David Karemera & Victor Iwuagwu Oguledo & Bobby Davis, 2000. "A gravity model analysis of international migration to North America," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(13), pages 1745-1755.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Chun-Wei Chen & Neng-Tang Huang & Hsien-Sheng Hsiao, 2022. "The Construction and Application of E-Learning Curricula Evaluation Metrics for Competency-Based Teacher Professional Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-22, July.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Shahid, Rabia & Shahid, Humera & Shijie, Li & Jian, Gao, 2024. "Developing nexus between economic opening-up, environmental regulations, rent of natural resources, green innovation, and environmental upgrading of China - empirical analysis using ARDL bound-testing," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 3(1).
    2. Zhai, Ying & Wang, Wenzhi & Zhou, Liying, 2024. "Green efficiency loss caused by economic growth goals: Evidence from an emerging economy," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 983-995.
    3. Sidong Zhao & Yiran Yan & Jing Han, 2021. "Industrial Land Change in Chinese Silk Road Cities and Its Influence on Environments," Land, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-30, July.
    4. Feng, Rui & Shen, Chen & Dai, Dandan & Xin, Yaru, 2023. "Examining the spatiotemporal evolution, dynamic convergence and drivers of green total factor productivity in China’s urban agglomerations," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 744-764.
    5. Laila Touhami Morghem & Khawlah Ali Abdalla Spetan, 2020. "Determinants of International Migration: An Applied Study on Selected Arab Countries (1995-2017)," International Journal of Economics and Financial Issues, Econjournals, vol. 10(2), pages 6-19.
    6. Liu, Duan & Yu, Nizhou & Wan, Hong, 2022. "Does water rights trading affect corporate investment? The role of resource allocation and risk mitigation channels," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    7. Ke Zhang & Xingwei Wang, 2021. "Pollution Haven Hypothesis of Global CO 2 , SO 2 , NO x —Evidence from 43 Economies and 56 Sectors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(12), pages 1-27, June.
    8. Ren, Siyu & Hao, Yu & Xu, Lu & Wu, Haitao & Ba, Ning, 2021. "Digitalization and energy: How does internet development affect China's energy consumption?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    9. Wang, Liang & Tan, Justin & Li, Wan, 2018. "The impacts of spatial positioning on regional new venture creation and firm mortality over the industry life cycle," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 41-52.
    10. Ran, Qiying & Yang, Xiaodong & Yan, Hongchuan & Xu, Yang & Cao, Jianhong, 2023. "Natural resource consumption and industrial green transformation: Does the digital economy matter?," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    11. de Arce, Rafael & Mahia, Ramon, 2008. "Determinants of Bilateral Immigration Flows Between The European Union and some Mediterranean Partner Countries: Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey," MPRA Paper 14547, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Le Sun & Congmou Zhu & Shaofeng Yuan & Lixia Yang & Shan He & Wuyan Li, 2022. "Exploring the Impact of Digital Inclusive Finance on Agricultural Carbon Emission Performance in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-18, September.
    13. Wadim Strielkowski & Anna Sherstobitova & Patrik Rovny & Tatiana Evteeva, 2021. "Increasing Energy Efficiency and Modernization of Energy Systems in Russia: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-19, May.
    14. Sándor Juhász, 2021. "Spinoffs and tie formation in cluster knowledge networks," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(4), pages 1385-1404, April.
    15. Timothy Hatton, 2005. "Explaining trends in UK immigration," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 18(4), pages 719-740, November.
    16. Sándor Juhász & Balázs Lengyel, 2016. "Tie creation versus tie persistence in cluster knowledge networks," Papers in Evolutionary Economic Geography (PEEG) 1613, Utrecht University, Department of Human Geography and Spatial Planning, Group Economic Geography, revised May 2016.
    17. Rosina Moreno & Ernest Miguélez, 2012. "A Relational Approach To The Geography Of Innovation: A Typology Of Regions," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 492-516, July.
    18. Ron Boschma & Simona Iammarino & Raffaele Paci & Jordy Suriñach & Raul Ramos & Jordi Suriñach, 2017. "A Gravity Model of Migration Between the ENC and the EU," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 108(1), pages 21-35, February.
    19. Yu, Rong & Li, Jianhong, 2024. "Does fintech influence sustainable development under natural resource constraints: insights from 270 Chinese cities," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    20. Zixin Dou & Yanming Sun & Tao Wang & Huiyin Wan & Shiqi Fan, 2021. "Exploring Regional Advanced Manufacturing and Its Driving Factors: A Case Study of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-14, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:20:p:11216-:d:653901. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.