Although historically developed countries have been the largest contributors to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, some developing countries have increasingly contributed to the climate crisis over the past 40 years. This is the case with the BRICS countries: four of its members—China, India, Russia, and Brazil—are among the top five GHG emitters in the world. South Africa, although not at the top of the global emissions ranking, is the largest emitter on the African continent. The addition of five new members to the bloc in 2024, including major fossil fuel producers such as the United Arab Emirates and Iran, could have significant impacts on addressing the crisis. In a context that urgently requires immediate emissions reductions and robust public policies to transform the current model of production, distribution, and consumption, the BRICS+ are responsible for 43.1% of the world’s oil production and 44% of global reserves. Regarding gas, the expanded bloc holds 53% of global reserves and 35.5% of production1.