It’s been a little over a decade since China launched its Belt and Road Initiative, a global program to improve relations with Latin America and other developing regions through trillions of dollars in investment in infrastructure and energy projects. But China hasn’t always carried out those projects in a responsible way, sparking outcry about their […]
  • China was up for a Universal Periodic Review with the U.N. Human Rights Council, in which other member countries analyzed its actions abroad and provided recommendations to improve.
  • Some of the most popular concerns were connected to the environmental and social conflicts affecting Latin America, including violence against activists, rushed impact studies and weak oversight of projects ranging from dams and highways to mines and bridges.
  • China accepted a record ten out of 11 recommendations, giving hope to some that the country will change how it handles future projects in the region. But some critics are concerned that the country won’t keep its word.

It’s been a little over a decade since China launched its Belt and Road Initiative, a global program to improve relations with Latin America and other developing regions through trillions of dollars in investment in infrastructure and energy projects. But China hasn’t always carried out those projects in a responsible way, sparking outcry about their environmental impact and human rights violations, especially against Indigenous communities.

Recently, China was up for a Universal Periodic Review with the U.N. Human Rights Council, in which other member countries analyzed its actions abroad and provided recommendations to improve. Some of the most popular concerns have been emblematic of the environmental and social conflicts affecting Latin America, including violence against activists, rushed impact studies and weak oversight of projects ranging from dams and highways to mines and bridges.

China accepted a record ten out of 11 recommendations, giving hope to some that the country will change how it handles future projects in the region.

“China’s recognition of these problems is a crucial step towards accountability and transparency,” Paulina Garzón, director of Latin America Sustentable, said in a statement.

More than 200 civil society groups participated in the process, including a consortium from Latin America called the Collective on Chinese Financing and Investment, Human Rights and Environment (CICDHA), made up of groups from across the continent.

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i think its good China said its willing to help more in latin america in areas like enviroment and social conflicts, their big push for solar energy shows they care about green policy

  • blobjim [he/him]
    ·
    3 months ago

    While China’s acceptance of the recommendations can be viewed as a positive development, there’s no guarantee that it will follow through on its promises. The country accepted six similar recommendations during its last periodic review, and almost nothing has changed in that time, some critics say.

    In some cases, including the Las Bambas mine in Peru, projects appeared in the previous review and then again this time around.

    Take it with a grain of salt because they also publish stuff like https://news.mongabay.com/2024/07/activists-ask-for-help-combatting-violence-against-nicaraguas-indigenous-communities/ and https://news.mongabay.com/2024/02/harmful-mining-continues-in-nicaragua-despite-u-s-sanctions-new-investigation-shows/ where they use US-speak calling Ortega a dictator.

    Also the website was founded by https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhett_Ayers_Butler who seems kinda sus.

    And not suprising at all, they're funded by exactly the kind of orgs you'd expect: https://mongabay.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/2023-Mongabay-Annual-Report-web.pdf

    Donors and Supporters – Thank you for your support in 2023

    $100,000+

    Anonymous (4), Arcus Foundation, BAND Foundation, Climate and Land Use Alliance, Ford Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Montpelier & Hampshire Foundations, Hans Wilsdorf Foundation, Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors, John F. Swift, Khanna Foundation, Lisa Yang, The Overbrook Foundation, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, The Tilia Fund, Walton Family Foundation.

    And notice how it literally says "$100,000+" so they're probably donating millions.

    Look how big their team is: https://mongabay.org/about/team/