BRICS Policy Center held 2025 Outlook for BRICS Summit

On July 3rd, the BRICS Policy Center, of PUC-Rio, in partnership with the Beijing Club for International Dialogue, held the 2025 Outlook for BRICS Summit: Brazil-China Dialogue on BRICS and Global Cooperation in Finance, AI, and Green Transition at the IAG. The meeting began with welcome remarks by Gustavo Robichez (PUC-Rio), Prof. Marta Fernández (Director of the BRICS Policy Center), and Han Hua (Beijing Club for International Dialogue). Academics, government representatives, and experts gathered to discuss the main themes of Brazil’s BRICS presidency.

The opening session featured keynote speakers Walter Desiderá (IPEA), Mariana Davi Ferreira (Ministry of Finance), and Tang Xiaoyang (Tsinghua University). Brazil’s contributions to the BRICS 2025 agenda were highlighted, particularly in the development of strategic recommendations by think tanks in the areas of health, finance, and climate. Among the main challenges of the Brazilian presidency were the integration of new members, financial cooperation, and the complexity of the global scenario. Finally, technological communication was highlighted as key to strengthening the China-Brazil partnership.

The first panel, titled “Artificial Intelligence, Sovereignty, and Development,” addressed the profound global inequalities in access to and mastery of AI. Discussions included the risks of technological concentration, the challenges of digital governance, the geopolitical use of AI, and the urgency of technology transfer to countries in the Global South. The speakers emphasized the importance of data protection and digital sovereignty as a central element of cooperation among the BRICS. Participants included Xiao Youdan (Chinese Academy of Sciences), Zhao Hai (Chinese Academy of Social Sciences), Luísa Lobato (PUC-Rio), and Thelela Ngcetane-Vika (Wits University).

The second panel, “Green Transition and Climate Cooperation in a Multipolar World,” featured Prof. Maureen Santos (BRICS Policy Center), Tang Xiaoyang (Tsinghua University), Prof. Maria Elena Rodriguez (Vice-Director of the BRICS Policy Center / PUC-Rio), María Noel Dussort and Clarissa Giaccaglia (CONICET/UNR/Arg1.5), and Zhou Mi (CAITEC). The panel discussed the structural challenges of the energy transition and the urgency of ensuring that it occurs fairly, especially for countries with unequal access to energy. Data on investments in renewable energy, institutional and cultural barriers to the transition, and the strategic role of the BRICS in building a sustainable energy model were presented.

The enriching discussion was open to the public, who asked questions to the speakers. The recording is available on the BPC YouTube channel at the link below.

Photos: Rafael Medelima