Sustainability Assessment of Steel Industry in the Belt and Road Area Based on DPSIR Model

Abstract

The steel industry in the Belt and Road region holds significant potential for development, and the systematic evaluation of its sustainable development capacity serves as a crucial foundation for improving the investment environment in the steel industry. This study focuses on the driving forces, pressures, current status, impacts, and policy responses of the steel industry, constructing an evaluation model for the sustainable development of the steel industry in the Belt and Road region. Using this model, the sustainable development capacity of the steel industry (SCSI) in 65 countries along the Belt and Road is assessed. The results indicate the following: (1) The SCSI index in the Belt and Road region has significantly increased from 18.050 in 2000 to 22.873 in 2021. (2) Since 2005, the factors influencing the spatial differentiation of SCSI in the Belt and Road region have generally followed the pathway of “industrial infrastructure → innovation environment → global governance capacity → per capita GDP,” with domestic economic level and domestic demand exerting a substantial promoting effect on the steel industry. (3) The regional differences in SCSI within the Belt and Road region are the combined result of multiple factors, with significant composite influences from indicators such as per capita GDP, population size, industrial infrastructure, and innovation environment. To further enhance the sustainable development of the steel industry along the Belt and Road, it is necessary for each country to formulate appropriate development plans based on local conditions, emphasizing strengthened international cooperation, optimized international investment environment, enhanced policy support, and improved technological level in the steel industry.