BEIJING - UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Wednesday that projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) are changing landscapes and helping improve livelihoods worldwide.

"The scale, number and scope of the projects and investments undertaken by the Belt and Road Initiative can literally change landscapes -- economies, energy systems, transportation, buildings and entire industries," said Guterres at a forum on green development under the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.

"I recognize the efforts to improve permanently the sustainability of Belt and Road investments," he added.

Guterres said the concept of Green Silk Road under the BRI provides an important opportunity to fast-track sustainable and climate-resilient development to protect lives and livelihoods.

"UN agencies across the world stand ready to support the design and implementation of these projects under the auspices of the Belt and Road," he said.

The UN chief said that the Green Silk Road can be a critical part of this process to fast-track a fair, equitable and just energy transition. It is "an important tool that can help us all pull us out of the dead ends of the past, and set us on a new pathway that benefits people and planet alike."