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A research paper by the South African Institute of International Affairs analyzing the 12-day conflict between Israel and Iran in June 2025 and the subsequent diplomatic response from BRICS members.

The Renewables Bulletin: BRICS Edition provides data on the energy transition across BRICS nations, highlighting the dominant role of China in renewable electricity generation and capacity, while noting varying levels of progress in solar and wind adoption across the bloc.

This document details the methodology used by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) to evaluate the 'investability' of the finance components within the third round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0). The framework uses seven indicators to assess how effectively non-Annex I countries communicate climate finance needs and strategies to attract private and international capital.

This report by Ember analyzes the technical and economic feasibility of achieving 24-hour solar electricity generation using solar panels paired with battery storage. It demonstrates that in sunny regions, near-continuous solar power is now cost-competitive, often cheaper than new coal or nuclear power, due to rapid declines in battery costs and the adoption of Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) technology.

The March 2025 Peace & Security Council Report analyzes critical instability in South Sudan and Sudan, the African Union's (AU) struggles to manage post-coup transitions in several member states, and the shortcomings of AU election observer missions in 2024. It calls for the Peace and Security Council (PSC) to adopt more risk-based, high-level engagement strategies and improve internal coordination to prevent the fragmentation of states and the entrenchment of military juntas.

This report by the Global Climate and Health Alliance evaluates the integration of health objectives within the third generation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0) submitted by several countries. The analysis finds that while many nations recognize the health benefits of climate mitigation, most NDCs lack measurable health targets, dedicated funding for health adaptation, and alignment with 1.5°C pathways necessary to protect human health.

The report by the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) analyzes the landscape of bilateral and multilateral agreements between African states and global powers to secure critical minerals essential for the green energy and digital transitions. It examines the strategies of twelve key actors—including China, Russia, the EU, and the US—highlighting a trend toward resource diplomacy driven by national security concerns and the need to diversify supply chains away from dominant suppliers.

The 2025 Global Forum, hosted by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and the Government of Barbados in Bridgetown, brought together over 1,300 participants to address energy poverty and the energy transition in the Global South and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The event resulted in the Barbados Declaration, the launch of several Energy Transition and Investment Plans (ETIPs), and the mobilization of over $500 million in new financial commitments for clean energy projects.

The Production Gap Report 2025 by the Stockholm Environment Institute finds that global fossil fuel production plans are increasingly divergent from the Paris Agreement's goals. Governments are collectively planning higher levels of production for coal, oil, and gas than in 2023, with projected 2030 production exceeding 1.5ºC-consistent levels by more than 120%.

This research paper analyzes China's role as the dominant economy within the expanded BRICS bloc, arguing that China uses the alliance to reshape global power dynamics and counter Western influence. While the bloc has achieved significant milestones through the New Development Bank and advocacy for climate justice and 'de-dollarization', it faces internal instability. Key challenges include the territorial and geopolitical rivalry between China and India, as well as the regional friction between new members Saudi Arabia and Iran.

This research paper analyzes the 'magnetic pull' of BRICS, exploring why non-member states seek to join the informal group. It argues that while initial appeal was based on economic credentials and promises of systemic reform, the group has transitioned toward more strategic outreach. The author examines the evolution of BRICS through its 2010 and 2023 expansions and the 2024 Kazan summit, highlighting the role of 'compound soft power' and the challenges of maintaining internal cohesion amidst rapid growth.

This research paper examines the human rights records of the BRICS nations, arguing that there is a significant gap between the human rights protections declared in their constitutions and their actual implementation. The authors express concern that the expansion of BRICS to include more autocratic regimes may create a safe haven for governments seeking to avoid Western-led human rights sanctions while pursuing economic and geopolitical dominance.

This policy brief by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines ambition benchmarks for the third generation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) due in 2025. It argues that to align with the 1.5 °C target, countries must commit to tripling renewable energy capacity, phasing out fossil fuel production, and eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, while ensuring a just and equitable transition.

The Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) 2025 evaluates 63 countries and the European Union, representing 90% of global emissions, across emissions, renewables, and climate policy. While renewable energy shares have increased in 61 of the 64 assessed entities over the last five years, the report finds that many high-emitting nations continue to rely on fossil fuels, leaving the top three overall ranks vacant.

This research paper evaluates the alignment between the New Development Bank's (NDB) strategic goals and its actual lending practices from 2016 to 2023. It finds that while the NDB has expanded its mandate to support climate action and sustainable development, it struggles to meet its targets for local currency financing and non-sovereign lending.

A briefing by the NewClimate Institute reporting that global warming projections for 2100 have remained stagnant since 2021, with current policies leading to a median projected warming of 2.7°C.

The November 2024 Warming Projections Global Update by the NewClimate Institute reports that global warming projections for 2100 have stagnated over the last three years. Current policies set the world on a path toward 2.7°C of warming, while the most optimistic scenario, assuming full implementation of all announced targets, projects 1.9°C. The report highlights a critical disconnect between the escalating climate crisis and the urgency of government policy implementation, noting that while renewable energy growth is record-breaking, it is being offset by all-time high fossil fuel subsidies.

This briefing by Zero Carbon Analytics examines the proposal to expand the contributor base for climate finance to include emerging economies. It argues that while some emerging countries already contribute voluntarily, mandating their contributions at the current rate of developed countries would only provide an additional USD 51.19 billion, which is approximately 5.12% of the estimated USD 1 trillion annual need for developing countries. The document emphasizes that developed countries must maintain primary responsibility and calls for clearer definitions of 'developed countries' and 'climate finance' during the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) negotiations at COP29.

This report by Global Energy Monitor analyzes the power sector transition within the BRICS bloc, noting that non-fossil power capacity is poised to exceed fossil-fueled capacity for the first time in 2024. While the bloc hosts a significant portion of the world's coal capacity and continues to develop new fossil fuel plants, there is a massive pipeline of wind, solar, and hydropower projects that could potentially align the group with global goals to triple renewable capacity by 2030.

This research paper analyzes the first ten annual intergovernmental declarations of the BRICS configuration (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) to evaluate how the group represents the interests of the 'majority world'. The author argues that while BRICS has successfully used discursive strategies to advocate for the reform of global economic governance and has achieved some practical outcomes through the G20, there remains a significant gap between its declarative statements and collective policy implementation.