Ecological corridors? The case of China-Pakistan economic corridor

Abstract Economic corridors are gaining global attention due to their negative impacts on the environment. The question then raised is whether these corridors could ever be considered green initiatives? It is argued here that the multi-sectoral development projects related to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), despite potentially changing the economic portfolio of growth and development for Pakistan, can cause detrimental impacts to national ecological health. Our intervention analyses globally executed economic corridors and hints at the possible threats posed by CPEC projects to the ecological environment. Our review proposes the need to be attentive to mitigation strategies on the global standards to protect the ecosystem, wildlife, habitat and ecology of Pakistan, if these economic corridors are to be considered green initiatives.