The BRICS Power Play: Competing Interests in Global Energy Governance

The report argues that the expanded BRICS bloc is not a coherent actor but a collection of competing interests, where fossil-industrial interests often conflict with climate rhetoric. It categorizes members into five functional actor groups and proposes a five-axis 'Climate and Energy Compass' and a focus on climate finance reform to facilitate a just and sovereign energy transition.

• The expanded BRICS bloc, comprising 10 members, represents a significant portion of global emissions, population, and oil production, yet it is characterized by competing interests and worldviews rather than being a single coherent actor.
• The energy transition within BRICS is hindered by the influence of state-owned enterprises and national oil companies, creating a risk of a 'grey space' where climate rhetoric masks the continued expansion of fossil fuels.
• The report identifies five distinct functional actor groups within BRICS: China as the Structural Pivot; South Africa and Brazil as Normative Entrepreneurs; India and Indonesia as Swing States; Russia, Iran, and UAE as Incumbent Guardians; and Egypt and Ethiopia as Adaptation-Centred Members.
• Climate finance is identified as the critical lever for BRICS climate action, with priorities focusing on reforming financial architecture, investing in hard-to-abate sectors, and localizing finance for sub-national capacity.
• Geopolitical instability in the Strait of Hormuz is driving BRICS importers, specifically China and India, to accelerate the development of domestic renewable energy to reduce hydrocarbon dependency.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2026). The BRICS Power Play: Competing Interests in Global Energy Governance. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-brics-power-play-competing-interests-in-global-energy-governance/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. The BRICS Power Play: Competing Interests in Global Energy Governance. 2026. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-brics-power-play-competing-interests-in-global-energy-governance/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=The BRICS Power Play: Competing Interests in Global Energy Governance |date=7 May 2026 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/the-brics-power-play-competing-interests-in-global-energy-governance/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2026brics, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{The BRICS Power Play: Competing Interests in Global Energy Governance}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2026}, month = may, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/the-brics-power-play-competing-interests-in-global-energy-governance/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }