"Chinese highways could put forests at risk and break international law, say environmental groups...Up to half of Myanmar?s population live in areas that could suffer environmental damage from two giant highways unless the ecological risks are considered, according to a new report from the World Wildlife Fund. The planned roads will form part of China?s continent-crossing network of overseas infrastructure known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). ?We?ve estimated about 24 million people could be affected by this infrastructure project ? and negatively affected if it is not carried out in a way where you are taking into account the potential impacts on areas that help provide clean water, protection against floods, landslides, and so on,” report author Hanna Helsingen told chinadialogue. Environmentalists and lawyers have voiced fears that Myanmar?s fledgling environmental protection laws, which date from 2015, are insufficiently robust, transparent or enforced to prevent adverse impacts on forest cover, water management and people?s livelihoods..."