The Spatial Network Contagion of Environmental Risks Among Countries Along the Belt and Road Initiative

Under the tide of global economic integration with aggravated environmental risks caused by intensive human activities, the spatial network correlation of environmental risks has become intensified. The close exchange of activities among the countries under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) will especially feel this contagion of environmental risks. Given this situation, this article analyzes the environmental risk contagion relations among the BRI countries and the characteristics of their network structure by using social network analysis (SNA). A block model is used to analyze the spatial clustering characteristics of the environmental risk contagion. Specifically, the driving factors of environmental risk contagion are analyzed through the quadratic assignment procedure (QAP) of SNA. The results of this article provide some references for the BRI to reduce the environmental risks and jointly control the environmental risk contagion, so as to assist in the promotion of a green silk road.