Elevating ESG: Empirical Lessons on Environmental, Social and Governance Implementation of Chinese Projects in Africa

The report evaluates the ESG implementation of Chinese-financed infrastructure projects in Africa, analyzing five case studies across Egypt, Nigeria, and Ethiopia in the energy and industrial park sectors. While Chinese financing is noted for contributing to economic growth and local livelihoods, it is also associated with risks of environmental degradation and social and governance concerns. The study specifically examines compliance with local requirements and China's Traffic Light System under the Green Development Guidance for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects.

• Chinese financing for African infrastructure has provided benefits such as economic growth and improvements to local livelihoods, but it also carries risks related to governance, social issues, and environmental degradation.
• The study evaluates Chinese projects in Africa based on their adherence to local ESG standards and China's specific 'Traffic Light System' linked to the Green Development Guidance for Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) projects.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2023). Elevating ESG: Empirical Lessons on Environmental, Social and Governance Implementation of Chinese Projects in Africa. https://saiia.org.za/research/elevating-esg-empirical-lessons-on-environmental-social-and-governance-implementation-of-chinese-projects-in-africa/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. Elevating ESG: Empirical Lessons on Environmental, Social and Governance Implementation of Chinese Projects in Africa. 2023. https://saiia.org.za/research/elevating-esg-empirical-lessons-on-environmental-social-and-governance-implementation-of-chinese-projects-in-africa/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=Elevating ESG: Empirical Lessons on Environmental, Social and Governance Implementation of Chinese Projects in Africa |date=7 September 2023 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/elevating-esg-empirical-lessons-on-environmental-social-and-governance-implementation-of-chinese-projects-in-africa/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2023elevating, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{Elevating ESG: Empirical Lessons on Environmental, Social and Governance Implementation of Chinese Projects in Africa}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2023}, month = sep, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/elevating-esg-empirical-lessons-on-environmental-social-and-governance-implementation-of-chinese-projects-in-africa/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }