Countries like Brazil and Ethiopia push for development that is led by renewable energy but other members of the Brics block are protecting their fossil fuel interests. (Paul Botes)
As leaders of the expanded Brics bloc gathered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, this July, climate action and clean energy took centre stage in their official declaration. Hosted by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the summit positioned Brics as a force for global reform on climate finance, biodiversity protection and green industrialisation. Yet behind the pledges lies a hard reality: Brics countries continue to undercut the clean energy transition with ongoing fossil fuel investments.
The expanded bloc — Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) — represents more than 45% of the world’s population and a significant share of carbon emissions and energy consumption.
While the 2025 Rio Declaration called for stronger climate finance flows, a just transition and international cooperation ahead of COP30, to be held in Brazil in November this year, the group’s internal contradictions remain stark. These countries are simultaneously ramping up renewable energy while entrenching fossil fuel projects — both domestically and abroad.
Despite data from the Global Energy Monitor showing Brics fossil fuel power capacity nearing 50% for the first time — driven by solar and wind rollouts in China, India and South Africa — the transition is incomplete. China remains the world’s largest coal consumer, India continues to licence new coal-fired plants, and Russia, Iran and the UAE are doubling down on oil and gas production. This reveals a double bind: Brics countries are talking green while digging deeper into brown energy.
The Rio Declaration did highlight important shifts. For the first time, the bloc acknowledged the need for institutional alignment between financial systems and climate goals. It also supported Brazil’s proposal for a Tropical Forests Forever Facility, aiming to secure long-term financing for biodiversity conservation. China and the UAE expressed early interest in contributing to the fund. But climate finance pledges cannot distract from the internal inconsistencies: several Brics members continue to export fossil fuels and delay phase-out timelines at home.
The group’s dual-path strategy was further highlighted by its new composition. The inclusion of major oil and gas producers such as Iran and the UAE risks entrenching a fossil-friendly stance within Brics climate diplomacy. While countries like Ethiopia and Brazil push for renewable-led development, they are now part of a bloc increasingly pulled in multiple directions.
A key moment at the summit was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark that “climate justice is a moral duty, not an option”. But moral clarity is not matched by material choices. India is planning the largest coal capacity expansion in its history, even as it scales up solar deployments. Similarly, South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP) is moving slowly amid grid instability, community resistance and governance concerns, all while Eskom continues to rely on coal to keep the lights on.
Even in Brazil, despite its renewable energy reputation through hydropower, offshore wind ambitions are stalled by regulatory uncertainty. At the same time, Brazil continues to auction offshore oil blocks in sensitive ecosystems. The message is clear: Brics may be leading in renewable growth on paper, but they are nowhere near phasing out fossil fuels.
The Rio Summit’s Action Plan on Disaster Risk Reduction was one of the more progressive outcomes, highlighting the urgent need for adaptation and community resilience, particularly across Africa and Latin America. Yet, again, climate adaptation must be backed by mitigation. Without a serious shift away from coal, oil, and gas, disaster preparedness will be no match for escalating global warming.
Geopolitically, the contradictions carry weight. With Brics countries collectively holding 70% of the world’s coal-fired capacity, any meaningful global transition depends on their actions. The 2025 summit positioned the bloc as a champion of South-South solidarity, but its ongoing fossil fuel expansion threatens to derail climate progress, especially in climate-vulnerable regions like Africa.
The summit’s forward-looking tone — aimed at shaping outcomes for COP30 in Belém, Brazil — masks a deeper strategic ambivalence. The promise of innovation and resilience cannot substitute for real political will to wind down fossil fuel subsidies, cancel new oil and gas projects, and invest in equitable green infrastructure.
If Brics wants to lead on climate, it must close the credibility gap between its declarations and its development models. Clean energy must stop being a side project and become the centrepiece of its geopolitical vision. That means overhauling domestic energy systems, pushing for climate-aligned trade, and funding distributed renewable solutions across the Global South.
The road to a just energy transition will not be easy, but it is made more difficult by climate double standards. Brics cannot claim to lead a clean energy future while keeping one foot in the Brics past. As the world watches and waits for meaningful change ahead of COP30, the Brics bloc must decide: will it be a driver of decarbonization, or a coalition of delay?
Karabo Mokgonyana is a senior campaigns associate and renewable energy lead with Power Shift Africa.