BRICS Cooperation in Sustainable Development

Today, sustainable development forms an integral part of the international agenda. For the BRICS nations, this topic is becoming not only an area of responsibility but also an opportunity to establish themselves as active participants in a new global governance architecture, one founded on the principles of multilateralism and balancing economic growth with environmental protection. The group is actively creating new mechanisms and instruments for cooperation in sustainable development and broadening its areas of interaction. At the same time, structural problems and the need to align national interests with common goals present challenges, and the effectiveness of addressing them will determine the success of the sustainable development agenda both within BRICS and globally. Following the BRICS expansion in 2024–2025, the group accounts for approximately 30% of global GDP (in constant prices), more than half of the world's population, 38.7% of global freshwater reserves, 43.1% of the world's forests, and almost 30% of the world's arable land. The BRICS members are also the largest energy exporters, accounting for 46% of global oil exports and 17% of global natural gas exports. This concentration of human and natural capital transforms BRICS from merely an economic and political club into a new type of international association—one that is potentially more equitable and inclusive, and independent of traditional Western-centric institutions and mechanisms.

The sustainable development agenda was discussed at the group's earliest meetings: in 2009, during the I BRICS Summit in Yekaterinburg, the countries expressed their readiness for a constructive dialogue on climate change, and at the V BRICS Summit in Durban in 2013, they agreed to coordinate efforts in energy and infrastructure. It was also at this summit that a decision was made to establish the New Development Bank (NDB), with the main goal of mobilising resources for infrastructure and sustainable development projects in BRICS member states and other developing economies.

Since its establishment in 2015, the NDB has approved over 120 projects worth approximately $40 billion. These include metro rail construction in India, clean energy development in Brazil, water supply projects in South Africa, and the construction of wastewater treatment plants and transport development in China. In Russia, the Bank has financed initiatives to modernise transport infrastructure and support energy projects. Particular attention was paid to green bonds: in 2016, the bank issued its first RMB-denominated bonds worth approximately $450 million. In 2025, new green bond issues totalled $1.25 billion. These steps have demonstrated that BRICS is capable of developing its own mechanisms for financing sustainable development, thereby reducing dependence on traditional institutions like the World Bank and the IMF.

At the same time, environmental cooperation was institutionalised through regular meetings of BRICS Environment Ministers, which have been held annually since 2015. That same year, the BRICS Environment Working Group (EWG) was established, serving as a platform for policy coordination and the exchange of best practices. In 2018, a Memorandum of Understanding on Environmental Cooperation was signed in Johannesburg, identifying air quality, water resources, biodiversity, climate change, waste management, and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as key priorities. The BRICS Platform for Environmentally Sound Technologies (BEST), established in 2018 to exchange technologies and implement innovations in the green economy, plays a special role in this cooperation. One of the most notable initiatives within BEST has been the BRICS Clean Rivers Programme, aimed at tackling plastic waste and promoting the sustainable use of water resources.

The Implementation Plan for 2023–2027 provides the EWG track with a roadmap for joint efforts on controlling water pollution, improving sanitation, and managing air quality. In April 2025, ministers adopted the BRICS Environment Declaration, which enshrines commitments to combat climate change, biodiversity loss, desertification, land degradation, drought, and pollution. The document supports the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, promotes the implementation of a circular economy and integrated waste management, and encourages investments in green technology and environmental education. A significant step in this direction was the signing of the BRICS Joint Declaration on Climate Disaster Resilience for 2025–2028, accompanied by an action plan for climate change adaptation.

This emphasis on environmental protection and ecology illustrates the group's strategic vision for global environmental governance. Beyond signing joint declarations and establishing working groups, the BRICS nations are actively developing renewable energy, enhancing energy efficiency, and advancing sustainable transport and urban planning. This is confirmed by the NDB data on funding for specialised climate programmes, which collectively represent significant investments in low-carbon transformation. Industry platforms are also gradually emerging. The BRICS Energy Research Cooperation Platform was launched in 2015, facilitating discussions on renewable energy, energy efficiency, hydrogen, and gas.

With the expansion of BRICS, the sustainable development agenda is taking on new dimensions. Egypt and Ethiopia are raising the issue of water resource management, which is particularly relevant in the context of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Nile, as well as the issue of food security. The UAE is actively investing in solar and hydrogen energy: one of the world's largest solar parks, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Solar Park, is already operational in Dubai. Indonesia is incorporating tropical forest management into the agenda. Thus, the BRICS expansion makes climate and resource agenda even more multifaceted.

The BRICS countries support the Paris Agreement and are integrating emission reduction targets into their national strategies. Specifically, as part of their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), Brazil, South Africa, Ethiopia, and the UAE aim to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050; China, Saudi Arabia, and Indonesia by 2060; and India by 2070. Russia also intends to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 and plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 65–67% compared to the 1990 levels by 2035, factoring in the maximum absorbing capacity of its ecosystems.

However, the practical implementation of these plans faces various structural problems and limitations. In India, decarbonisation poses an additional challenge for its economy that is still heavily reliant on coal. China, while a global leader in renewable energy development and investment in clean technologies—accounting for 39% of global solar power, 40% of wind power, and up to 70% of global electric vehicle sales—remains the world's largest emitter, responsible for approximately a third of global greenhouse gas emissions. In Brazil, the top priority is combating deforestation. For South Africa, the primary challenge is its dependence on coal and the need for substantial financial resources to ensure a just transition. In Ethiopia, wood accounts for nearly 90% of the energy mix, making decarbonisation of the energy sector particularly difficult. Major fossil fuel exporters, including Russia, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, are compelled to address the challenge of economic diversification in the face of declining global demand for fossil fuels.

Summing up, BRICS cooperation in sustainable development demonstrates a progressive institutional and substantive advancement. The group serves not only as an economic but also as an environmental powerhouse, shaping alternative mechanisms for financing and implementing the sustainable development agenda, particularly in energy and climate action. Ultimately, future success will depend on the countries' ability to align national interests with shared goals, expand the transfer of environmental technologies, and strengthen coordination through the NDB, BEST, and relevant working groups. If the BRICS nations succeed in finding this balance, they can not only adapt to global changes more effectively but also steer the direction of the sustainable development agenda worldwide.