Abstract
Using bilateral trade data along the “One Belt and One Road” (OBOR) from 2005–2016, this paper analyzes the structure and characteristics of the OBOR trade network. We find that the centrality, clustering coefficient, eigenvector centrality and average node strength are generally increasing, and China holds the core position in the network. Furthermore, we use three-stage least squares (3SLS) for analysis of the relationship between CO2 emissions and trade network characteristics and find that the status of country nodes in the trade network has a significant impact on CO2 emissions, with differences between high- and low-income countries. Our results provide additional insights regarding the impacts of the characteristics of the OBOR trade network on CO2 emissions.
Highlights
In September 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the “One Belt and One Road” (OBOR) initiative, which includes the countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road
The results indicate that there is a positive correlation between trade volume and CO2 emissions
We found that China is one of the central country nodes and holds the absolute core position in the OBOR trade network
Summary
In September 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the “One Belt and One Road” (OBOR) initiative, which includes the countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. The OBOR initiative involves approximately 66 countries that contribute more than 40% of the world’s gross domestic production and facilitates cooperation in finance, infrastructure investment and trade [1]. With the strengthening of economic and trade cooperation, countries along the OBOR route will become the new engine of world economic development. Cooperative trading relationships among the countries along the route form the basis of the OBOR initiative and deserve more attention. While most countries prioritize economic and trade development, they tend to ignore the environmental impacts resulting from economic prosperity. It is crucial and relevant to study the environmental impact of trade along the OBOR to analyze the special characteristics of the OBOR network and provide insights for government policy makers
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