Table of Contents
Analysis of The Hindu Editorial 1 : The BRICS journey — gaining heft while in transition
Context: The Expanding Influence of BRICS
The BRICS bloc—comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—has increasingly positioned itself as a significant player on the global stage. The potential for this plurilateral grouping to expand and increase its influence is now more evident than ever. With new members joining and more countries expressing interest, BRICS continues to transition into a more dynamic and powerful force.
Introduction: A Year of Change
In just one year, the BRICS summit scene witnessed a dramatic shift. In 2023, Russian President Vladimir Putin made only a brief digital appearance at the Johannesburg summit, protected by South Africa’s diplomatic immunity against an International Criminal Court (ICC) warrant tied to the Ukraine conflict. In contrast, Putin’s presence dominated the 2024 BRICS summit, hosted in Kazan, Russia. The summit stretched over three days, pushing discussions of conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia to the back burner as the group focused on its future trajectory.
The BRICS Evolution: From Survival to Rejuvenation
Historical Context
The Kazan summit marks the 16th BRICS meeting, tracing its origins to 2009 when Brazil, Russia, India, and China held the inaugural event. South Africa joined in 2011, expanding the grouping to BRICS as we know it today.
Challenges and Opportunities
The second decade of BRICS faced significant challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic forced China into a defensive position, and tensions between China and India escalated after the Galwan Valley clash in 2020. Additionally, Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine created friction with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), adding to the group’s vulnerabilities. Despite these hurdles, BRICS has shown resilience and is undergoing a process of rejuvenation, particularly with the addition of five new members: Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Iran, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Putin’s revelation that 34 more nations are keen to join BRICS is a clear sign that the group is gaining momentum.
Kazan Summit: Transitioning into a New Global Role
The outcomes of the Kazan summit underscore BRICS’ ambitions, not to create a new world order but to reform the existing one to better serve emerging economies and developing nations. The BRICS spirit is defined by values such as mutual respect, sovereign equality, democracy, openness, and inclusivity.
Expanding Cooperation
BRICS is committed to strengthening cooperation across three key verticals:
1. Political and Security Cooperation: A focus on global peace and stability.
2. Economic and Financial Cooperation: Enhancing trade and financial collaborations.
3. Cultural and People-to-People Engagement: Promoting cultural exchanges and collaboration across civil society, business, and academia.
A Platform for the Global South: The New BRICS Focus
Originally a coalition of emerging economies, BRICS is evolving into a platform for Emerging Markets and Developing Countries (EMDCs). This shift places the grouping in contrast to the Global North, and while there are anti-Western sentiments within BRICS, its more moderate members work to maintain a non-Western orientation that doesn’t oppose the West outright.
United Nations Reform and Global Representation
One of the key topics at the Kazan summit was the ongoing call for comprehensive reform of the United Nations, including expanding representation in the Security Council to reflect the interests of Africa, Asia, and Latin America. While China remains resistant to going beyond previous agreements, the issue remains a central focus for BRICS’ global agenda.
Economic Sanctions and Human Rights
The bloc also addressed the issue of unilateral economic sanctions, criticizing them as violations of international law with severe implications for human rights. This position strengthens BRICS’ stance as an advocate for the Global South.
Vertical Focus: Key Issues in Peace, Security, and Finance
west Asia Conflict
In terms of peace and security, the BRICS declaration on West Asia emphasized the need for a ceasefire and the release of hostages, advocating for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. H jiowever, Israel’s response to the conflict, particularly through military actions, showed the ongoing complexities in the region.
Ukraine War
The war in Ukraine received much less attention, with BRICS members reiterating their individual positions and calling for diplomacy to end the conflict. This reflects the delicate balancing act BRICS must play, given Russia’s central role in the group.
Economic and Financial Cooperation
On the economic front, the use of local currencies in transactions between BRICS nations and their trading partners was a major focus. This initiative aims to reduce dependence on Western financial systems. However, the issue of a common currency remains under study, with deeper cooperation still in the discussion phase.
BRICS Expansion: A Growing Global Force
A significant highlight of the Kazan summit was the continued expansion of BRICS. The outreach session saw 34 nations in attendance, with a new category of “partner states” introduced. Thirteen countries were invited to join as partners, including nations from Latin America (Cuba, Bolivia), Eurasia (Belarus, Turkey), Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam), Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan), and Africa (Algeria, Nigeria, Uganda).
As the BRICS family grows, its share of the global population, trade, and GDP will rise, solidifying its position as a major international player. These new partner states are expected to push for full membership in the coming years, signaling that the transition and expansion of BRICS will continue well into the future.
India’s Perspective: Strategic Benefits of BRICS
For India, BRICS ranks among its top strategic partnerships, alongside the G20, Quad, BIMSTEC, G-7, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). BRICS offers India a platform to promote multipolarity, enhance its strategic autonomy, and deepen ties with Russia while advocating for the interests of the Global South.
Strengthening Diplomatic Ties
The Kazan summit also provided a valuable opportunity for India to engage diplomatically with China. Prime Minister Modi and President Xi Jinping’s meeting on the sidelines marked a potential thaw in India-China relations, which could expand India’s diplomatic flexibility with Western partners.
Conclusion: A Plurilateral Bridge
BRICS’ role as a plurilateral platform is becoming increasingly significant for global cooperation. For India, the grouping offers a unique position to act as a bridge between the East and West, North and South, creating a strategic “sweet spot” for New Delhi in international relations. With cautious optimism, India supports BRICS’ expansion, recognizing that it enhances the group’s influence when managed wisely. As BRICS continues to evolve, its role in shaping global governance and economic development will only grow stronger, making it a key player in the multipolar world of today.
Analysis of The Hindu Editorial 2 : Staying cool, but with clean tech, global collaborations
Context:
The world is facing a climate crisis, and one essential aspect of addressing it is developing clean energy and sustainable cooling solutions. International cooperation plays a pivotal role in this endeavor.
Introduction: Cooling in a Warming World
As the planet warms, cooling has become a necessity, not just a luxury, especially for the most vulnerable populations. To combat the rising heat, countries are focusing on sustainable energy and efficient cooling technologies. On September 21, 2024, the Quad nations—Australia, India, Japan, and the United States—made a significant declaration, known as the Wilmington Declaration, emphasizing the need for energy-efficient cooling solutions.
This commitment ties into earlier initiatives, such as the joint statement by India and the U.S., which outlined a roadmap for resilient global clean energy supply chains. Both initiatives emphasize the critical need to deliver affordable, efficient cooling solutions, particularly in regions facing extreme climate conditions.
India’s Role in the Clean Energy Push
India’s leadership in these global efforts is particularly noteworthy. As part of the Quad’s energy goals, India has committed substantial investments in solar and cooling technologies across the Indo-Pacific region. These initiatives, including plans to expand the production of energy-efficient air conditioners and ceiling fans, aim to significantly reduce the environmental impact of cooling systems.
Cooling-Related Emissions: A Global Challenge
The broader relevance of these international efforts can be seen through frameworks like the Montreal Protocol and its 2016 Kigali Amendment, which paved the way for global action on cooling-related emissions. As temperatures continue to rise, the demand for cooling will only grow, making it crucial for countries to implement the lessons from these agreements.
The Kigali Amendment and HFC Reduction
The Kigali Amendment expanded its scope to include hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), potent greenhouse gases used in cooling appliances. Without regulation, HFCs could contribute to a global temperature rise of 0.52°C by the year 2100. To maximize the impact of the Kigali Amendment, it is essential to align the phase-out of HFCs with improvements in energy efficiency.
By adopting more efficient cooling technologies, we can achieve up to two-thirds of greenhouse gas reductions, lowering electricity consumption and reducing emissions from fossil-fuel-based power plants. This approach not only helps the environment but also saves costs for manufacturers and consumers alike.
Climate Change and the Cooling Conundrum
The rapid rise in global temperatures has highlighted two critical challenges related to cooling:
- Indirect emissions from inefficient cooling systems powered by fossil fuels.
- Direct emissions from harmful refrigerants, such as HFCs.
Despite the availability of high-efficiency, climate-friendly cooling technologies, many countries still lack integrated standards for energy efficiency and refrigerants. Without stronger regulations, developing nations risk becoming dumping grounds for outdated, inefficient appliances, further exacerbating climate and energy issues.
India’s Urgent Cooling Needs: A Call for Action
In 2024, parts of India recorded temperatures exceeding 50°C, underscoring the country’s dire need for effective cooling solutions. India, one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, faces increasingly severe heatwaves that threaten millions of lives, with the risk of deadly heatwaves affecting up to 200 million people annually by 2030.
India’s workforce, already exposed to extreme heat, could see declines in health, productivity, and food security due to rising temperatures. As air conditioner sales rise—projected to increase by 16% for every degree over 30°C—India is on track to have the highest cooling demand globally by 2050, with over 1.14 billion air conditioners in use.
India’s Leadership in Sustainable Cooling
In response, India ratified the Kigali Amendment in 2021, committing to reduce HFCs by 85% by 2047. The India Cooling Action Plan (ICAP) aims for a 20-25% reduction in cooling demand and a 25-40% reduction in energy consumption, while promoting low-global warming potential (GWP) refrigerants. This proactive approach solidifies India’s leadership in climate-friendly cooling solutions.
The Need for a Mission-Mode Approach
India requires a mission-driven approach to tackle these challenges head-on. This would involve coordinated leadership across sectors, establishing an inter-ministerial working group, launching national initiatives, and allocating the necessary budget. Such a mission-mode effort would ensure that the country is equipped to address its growing cooling demands sustainably.
International Collaboration and COP28 Momentum
Global efforts toward clean energy and efficient cooling systems are encouraging, yet these technologies must remain affordable and accessible, especially in developing regions where the need for cooling is greatest. The partnership between the U.S. and India, as well as the Quad’s initiatives, highlight the importance of local manufacturing and deployment of high-efficiency cooling technologies.
With rising global temperatures, energy-efficient solutions must be scaled without overburdening already fragile electricity grids. India’s proactive approach positions it as a global leader, balancing the needs of its population while advancing international climate goals.
Conclusion: Building on the Momentum from COP28
At COP28 in Dubai, 63 countries pledged to cut cooling-related emissions by 68% by 2050. The Global Cooling Pledge could provide cooling access to 3.5 billion people by mid-century and save an estimated $17 trillion in energy costs. However, this pledge is non-binding, and global action must accelerate to make these goals a reality.
As COP29 approaches, the focus must be on expanding these commitments and fostering stronger partnerships across sectors and nations. By doing so, we can ensure that sustainable cooling solutions are accessible to all, protecting vulnerable populations from extreme heat while advancing global climate goals.