Work

Unraveling the SDGs-Oriented Way Forward for the Nepal–China Himalayan Corridor

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Ecological corridors can promote regional integration, socio-economic development, and biodiversity conservation by enhancing cross-border connectivity. The Nepal–China Himalayan Corridor (NCHC), a strategic component of the Belt and Road Initiative, traverses an ecologically fragile and disaster-prone mountain region where infrastructure development, local livelihoods, and ecological sustainability need to be balanced. This study combines Q-methodology with the lens of imaginaries to examine stakeholder perspectives on SDG-oriented development pathways for the NCHC. Five major factors were identified: sustainable green infrastructure development, Himalayan climate adaptive capacity, inclusive growth through bilateral collaboration, trans-Himalayan multi-dimensional connectivity through viable projects, and local capacity building through transnational policy transformation. These factors reveal different stakeholder priorities and the synergies and trade-offs among SDGs in corridor development. The findings highlight the importance of multi-stakeholder cooperation and differentiated development pathways for advancing sustainable corridor development in fragile transboundary mountain regions.

Source: Land

DOI: 10.3390/land15091539

Authors: Tao Song, Shiyu Wang, Zhouying Song

Institutions: Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Belt and Road Initiative

Subfield: Economics and Econometrics

Field: Economics, Econometrics and Finance

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Partnerships for the goals, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137