The BRIC nations' response to climate change is critical to the fate of the planet
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Version 0 of 1. “Now is the time to act on climate change.” Variations on this sentiment have been frequently repeated throughout the 21st century by all kinds of leaders: Ban Ki-Moon, UN secretary-general; Jorma Korhonen, director general of external economic relations for Finland’s foreign affairs ministry; Nasa climatologist James Hansen; the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; environmental nonprofits, such as World Wildlife Fund for Nature; Jasmine Huggins, policy and advocacy officer for Haiti at hunger and poverty nonprofit Church World Service; and executives, such as Jean-Pascal Tricoire, CEO of Schneider Electric. But the phrase has never been truer than it is right now: the longer we wait, the worse it will be. And while urgent action is needed across the world, particularly in the developed nations, the four largest developing economies – Brazil, Russia, India and China, collectively known as the BRICs – are critically important to the cause. These four countries, with a combined population of 3 billion people and a GDP of $16tn, will have a huge direct impact on global emissions. Perhaps just as importantly, if they can get sustainable development right, they could pave the way for other developing countries to create economic opportunities without destroying the planet and oppressing workers and residents. The routes the BRIC nations take will, for better or for worse, shape the path of sustainable development for the rest of the world. Clean energy or fossil fuels? Human rights or cheap labor? The decisions being made in the BRICs are top of mind for everyone reading the world’s economic and environmental tea leaves. But what about the countries that sit in the shadow of the BRICs? Countries such as Colombia, Ukraine, Nepal, Indonesia and many others are on the path to becoming the next generation of economic powerhouses and sustainability leaders – or laggards. How are the BRICs’ practices and policies shaping, and shaped by, developments in neighboring countries as well as countries farther afield? For example, Brazil has invested in development projects in Guyana, Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and more. And while Brazil looms large in Latin America, it simultaneously lives in the shadow of China, its largest export partner. China’s current economic slowdown demonstrates the country’s impact on Brazil and other Latin American economies. It goes without saying that Russia heavily influences Ukraine, as evidenced by its annexation last year of the Crimean peninsula in a crisis that already has killed thousands. Sanctions from the European Union, the US and others have resulted in quid-pro-quo sanctions from Russia, including a ban on food imports from the EU. In India, a desperate search for energy to meet rapidly growing demand is sending energy companies high into the Nepalese Himalayas to tap massive and undeveloped hydropower resources. Billion-dollar hydropower deals could bring prosperity to one of the world’s poorest countries, but hasty development could have wide ranging negative impacts on ecosystems and human rights. Meanwhile, the labor issues that China has long been known for – sweatshops, corruption, heedless pollution – are far from eliminated. But as China makes progress, improving regulations and worker livelihoods, these issues are rapidly spreading around the developing world, with factories in Cambodia, Indonesia, Vietnam and even Myanmar taking up the yoke. This could spell trouble for global workers: Bangladesh, which captured global attention after the Rana Plaza disaster, was one of the first countries where manufacturers moved as Chinese costs rose. These connections warrant exploration. Today, we’re launching a new series to examine how the BRICs – and the countries they influence – perceive and respond to their biggest sustainability challenges, such as energy, water, climate change and human rights. We also will explore the role that business is playing in trying to solve these challenges. Whether it’s entrepreneurs seeking out new business ideas or industrial veterans undergoing sustainability epiphanies, what trends and innovations can serve as models for developed and developing countries alike? Our coverage kicks off with primers on the state of sustainability in the BRICs, and the countries they influence: |