Department or Program

Environmental Studies

Abstract

The BRI promotes large-scale infrastructure development in Ghana—spanning hydropower, transportation, and energy—yet this model of growth relies heavily on natural resources like bauxite, rivers, and outdated technology like hydroelectric dams. In a world where the impacts of climate change are unequally distributed across populations and regions, this questions whether the BRI and China’s infrastructural vision in Ghana entrenches outdated, unsustainable, and unjust development or can provide the support Ghana needs to address the disparities that followed prior Western colonial development. Examination of the Bui Dam Hydroelectric Project and the $2 billion infrastructure-for-bauxite deal shows that China’s evolving role under the BRI increasingly shapes Ghana’s social, environmental, and financial vulnerabilities. These dynamics—driven by ecological displacement, systematic corruption, and resource-backed loans—reinforce how unjust sustainable development could be going forward.

Level of Access

Restricted: Campus/Bates Community Only Access

First Advisor

Christine Martinez

Date of Graduation

5-2026

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Number of Pages

76

Components of Thesis

3 PDF files under 1 folder

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