BRICS

Systems in Motion – New Spaces for Global Cooperation

Context

BRICS as a Geopolitical Structural Shift

Originally introduced in 2001 as a broad economic category (Brazil, Russia, India, China), the group has, at the latest since the 2010s, coalesced into a realpolitik bloc—with a growing demand for political, economic, and institutional autonomy from the dominant Western governance structures.

With the expansion to include additional countries under BRICS+ (including Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, starting in 2024), the profile is shifting: from an economically based group of countries, it is becoming a potentially alternative system of cooperation that not only calls for a multipolar world order but also helps shape it.

BRICS+ does not stand for bloc thinking—but rather for an attempt to overcome structural asymmetries in the existing multilateral system through new formats.

Economic significance and market potential

Together, the BRICS countries currently account for:

40 %

of the world's population lives in this region.

25%

accounts for [percentage] of global GDP (nominal).

30%

of global industrial production is generated here.

45%+

of agricultural output comes from this region.

25%

By 2050, half of the world’s population will live in Africa alone—a growing hub of transformation.

60%

of the contribution to global growth through 2030—depending on the source—is generated here.

25%

By 2050, half of the world’s population will live in Africa alone—a growing hub of transformation.

25%

By 2050, half of the world’s population will live in Africa alone—a growing hub of transformation.

25%

By 2050, half of the world’s population will live in Africa alone—a growing hub of transformation.

25%

By 2050, half of the world’s population will live in Africa alone—a growing hub of transformation.

The expansion to BRICS+ opens up new opportunities in the market economy:

Currency Sovereignty & De-Dollarization: Discussions about new settlement systems beyond the U.S. dollar are gaining momentum

South-South Financial Architecture: The New Development Bank (NDB) is gaining prominence as an alternative multilateral financing instrument

Energy, Raw Materials, Industrial Policy: Countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, China, and Iran are creating new spheres of influence through coordination on raw materials issues

Digitalization & Innovation: China , India, and Brazil Are Driving Digital Domestic Markets and Tech Sovereignty

The hope: cooperation as equals—with institutional frameworks based not on conditions, but on reciprocity.

Greennations Perspective: What We Observe, What We Contribute

For Greennations, BRICS/BRICS+ is not an alliance “against the West,” but rather a region of strategic importance for development, where new approaches to global cooperation are being tested—with a direct impact on:

Development financing: New financing mechanisms (e.g., through the NDB) are influencing regional project structures—including in Africa and Latin America

Governance Diversity: The diversity of BRICS+ members brings new institutional logics, but also poses challenges for transnational coordination

Technology Cooperation: Digital Sovereignty, Data Regulation, and Regional Platforms Are Gaining Geopolitical Significance

Climate Policy: BRICS+ is a key player in climate negotiations – starting

Greennations is active in multilateral forums and regional policy-making bodies to facilitate cooperation between established and emerging models —not on an ideological basis, but through systemic approaches.

Risks & Realities

Despite its potential, BRICS+ remains a diverse group.

Political systems, interests, levels of economic development, and foreign policy agendas vary considerably

Decision-making processes often remain informal, lack transparency, and lack binding integration

The alternative to existing structures is not (yet) a viable alternative system

Coordination within the development architecture is also limited: so far, there are no operational mechanisms in place to structurally align BRICS investments with SDG-compatible or climate-neutral target systems.

The path to multipolar equality does not lie in symbolic strength—but in institutional reliability.

Opportunities for a new global balance in development

Despite structural tensions, BRICS+ opens up the possibility of,

to strengthen regional ownership,

to embed South-South cooperation not only in policy but also in practice,

and to mitigate global systemic imbalances through institutional measures.

For partners in the Global South, this means more room to negotiate, more choices, but also greater complexity.

Greennations does not see this as the end of Western structures—but rather as a new development paradigm in which impact arises where systems become interoperable.

Our Approach

Greennations observes, analyzes, and monitors developments related to BRICS/BRICS+ from a systemic perspective. Our focus areas:

Regional connectivity: We develop cluster programs that can also be adapted for BRICS+ partners

Financial Architecture Brokerage: We help link public and hybrid development financing in accordance with international standards and impact pathway logic

Platform formats: We build forums where stakeholders from different institutional frameworks can collaborate—on equal footing, with a duty to deliver results

We are neither advocates nor critics—we are facilitators. Greennations creates spaces where cooperation among diverse stakeholders becomes possible and measurable.

Working Together to Create Solutions

Platforms for Sustainable Change

Green Nations Forum

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Do you have any questions or would you like to learn more?

Please get in touch with us—we look forward to hearing from you.