On the final day of the BRICS summit in Rio de Janeiro, leaders of the bloc’s 11 member countries pressed developed nations to deliver on climate finance commitments, while defending the continued role of fossil fuels in the energy strategies of developing economies.
The summit, hosted by Brazil, concluded with a joint statement calling on wealthier nations to fulfil their financial responsibilities under global climate agreements. The bloc reiterated its position that funding for climate mitigation and adaptation in the Global South should be led by the developed world, in line with the principles of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
“We live in a moment of many contradictions in the whole world. The important thing is that we are willing to overcome these contradictions,” said Brazil’s Environment Minister Marina Silva, responding to criticism over potential oil exploration near the Amazon coast.
While Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva emphasised the role of the Global South in addressing the climate crisis ahead of hosting COP30 in November, the summit’s final communiqué maintained that fossil fuels will remain integral to energy security in emerging economies.
The leaders also endorsed Brazil’s proposed Tropical Forests Forever Facility, a fund aimed at protecting endangered forests and expanding climate action in developing countries beyond current global commitments. China and the United Arab Emirates have reportedly signalled interest in investing in the initiative, according to sources cited by Reuters.
The BRICS declaration took aim at recent environmental regulations in Europe, such as carbon border taxes and anti-deforestation laws, criticising them as “discriminatory protectionist measures” disguised as climate action.
Push for multilateral reform
The summit’s opening day presented BRICS as a counterweight to Western-led global governance, with leaders calling for reforms to international institutions traditionally dominated by the US and Europe. Lula positioned BRICS as a modern successor to the Cold War-era Non-Aligned Movement, asserting that “with multilateralism under attack, our autonomy is in check once again.”
Despite unity on broad themes such as opposition to unilateral sanctions and military aggression—condemning strikes in Gaza and Iran—the bloc remained divided on key geopolitical matters. While Russia and China backed Brazil and India’s bids for permanent seats on the UN Security Council, no consensus was reached among all members.
The summit marked the first BRICS gathering to include Indonesia following its admission to the group, underscoring the bloc’s expanding influence. However, Chinese President Xi Jinping’s absence, with Premier Li Qiang attending in his place, was seen as a sign of the group’s internal complexities.
