Emerging powers is a broad term that describes a category of countries that are perceived to be in the process of perceiving economic and political powers at a faster rate than other countries. The countries described as emerging powers are normally geographically large and poorer based on per capita income. A key component of emerging countries’ descriptive literature is that it looks at the history of the emerging powers and their transition of powers—also, the impact of the powers to change worldwide dynamics. Aspects of future growth prediction have been recently seen to be as important. On that note, it is still not as clear what qualifies a country to be an emerging power because of the challenges of predicting the future due to adequate theoretical and scholarly analysis. Countries included in the emerging powers include; Brazil, Russia, India, and China, which forms the ‘BRIC’ group, and later South Africa forming ‘BRICS.’ The description of emerging powers is diverse and has its basis on structure, scope, and focus. On international relations, emerging powers within the scope of international powers have their interests in policies of foreign powers specific to countries, global public concerns such as global warming, and constitutional affairs such as human rights and international order (Stuenkel, 2020).
Among the key intentions of the emerging powers was to develop the world through aid, trade, and investment opportunities from aid effectiveness to development. Through the BUSAN declaration, the BUSAN Partnership for Effective Development Corporation, the emerging powers created developed co-operatives as a part of the solutions. The co-operation was not to reduce resources for the actual development but to make it possible for countries to utilize the opportunities that came with it. The countries would be able to invest and trade and enlarge their internal and capital markets. The co-operatives were also to put measures to facilitate the implications of different financial sources to boost sustainable development, including all in development. The main aim of the partnership was for aid effectiveness (Xu & Gu, 2015).
The emerging powers also were concerned with looking at the differences and similarities between the donors establishing the aids and BRICS nations. The economic and social structure of the donors had an emphasis on dual-position same as the developing countries and the initial development partners in their interactions with external colleagues. Historically, the private sector is a sensitive and controversial issue in development. After many African countries, it was clear that the large white-owned private businesses were in many African countries. These businesses thrived under colonial governments as they exploited the resources of the natives that are now liberated. There was also an enhancement of the image of the private sector that was solidified by the continuous illegal activities by some international organizations in the global south that influenced the practitioners of development in private practice (Xu & Gu, 2015).
The emerging powers also had a role in environmental concerns. Their contributions are partly positive and some negative. A country such as China has the highest emissions of greenhouse gasses and has the highest investment in energy renewal. The powers made concerns to prevent global warming beyond the recommended two percent. The countries entered a binding commitment to minimize the emission of greenhouse gasses—major environmental, especially on climate changes and policies that regulated energy exploitation and usage. The policies were between BRICS member countries and BRICS and low-income countries, majorly African countries (Xu & Gu, 2015).
The emerging powers also took the initiative of boosting agricultural production to enhance food security. By agricultural enhancement, the powers would be able to reduce poverty levels. Emerging powers created agricultural co-operations among member countries and low-income countries, most African countries. Agricultural development was a major factor in the growth of non-agricultural sectors and is, therefore, led to the eradication of poverty and hunger. The major overview was that agriculture led to the well-being of the economy. Compared to manufacturing and services, China’s growth is estimated to have grown four times due to agricultural development. Over a long period, China and Brazil made reforms that improved the agricultural sector (Xu & Gu, 2015). The reforms gave them global recognition. China and Brazil took an initiative to enhance agricultural production in Africa and train Africans on financial management. The emerging powers introduced agricultural information systems that enhanced co-operation technology and innovation in the parent BRICS countries.
On environmental concerns, due to high greenhouse emissions, it is questionable if the emerging powers are developing county. Presently, the emerging powers are not at the forefront as seen before on environmental protection matters. There are no major changes in environmental concerns that have been taken, although the issue was discussed as a major concern at the 2011 BRICS summit. Also, development policies are limited by the current rules on specific governments. As a result, many developing countries remain at the bottom as those take rules as the developed countries become rule-makers. At the top of the concerns of BRICS came the activities of extractives companies that originated from the Emerging powers. There have been acquisitions of African, Latin American, and Asian farms on agricultural activities that initially seemed not to be of interest to developers. The lands are sought after by the investors in large acreage. There are claims of implied land grabbing.
The whole intention of power redistribution initiated by the rising powers has resulted in international instability, especially by developed powers, specifically, economic instabilities. The rising powers are basing their argument on political and economic clout. Generally, the development of the rising powers is not an issue of the rising of new powers nor the fall of established powers that can counter the current system. It is an issue of the continuity of uncertainty concerning the rising power’s goals and intentions (Tank, 2012).
References
Stuenkel, O. (2020, February 26). Emerging Powers and BRICS. Retrieved from Oxford Bibliographies: https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/obo-9780199743292/obo-9780199743292-0187.xml
Tank, P. (2012, June 1). The concept of “rising powers”. Retrieved from Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre: https://www.files.ethz.ch/isn/146521/aa7c23bf5887ab060f1af737a39a000a.pdf
Xu, X., & Gu, J. (2015, March 1). Emerging Powers and International Development. Retrieved from IDS Rising Powers in International Development programme Development Studies Learning Partnership, Teaching & Learning Visiting Fellowship: https://opendocs.ids.ac.uk/opendocs/handle/20.500.12413/5892
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