The increasing importance of emerging countries in world affairs will again be on display this month at the United Nations’ Rio +20 conference on sustainable development. Global heads of state will meet on 20-22 June to outline the principles that will guide future international development and safeguard our planet. The absence of US President Barack Obama and several European leaders from the summit reflects the growing influence that emerging countries such as India, China and Brazil will have on shaping global development.
So far, negotiations on what should constitute sustainable development have divided the developed and developing world. Developed countries, already reeling from economic crises, are hesitant to up their commitments or sign on to a blueprint that will have them aid poorer nations with the financing and technology needed to meet development goals. Developing countries are cautious to sign on to an agreement that might restrain their economic growth. But given their growing clout, their contributions are ever more essential.
Data on emerging countries’ aid programmes vary, depending on how assistance is defined and reported. Yet macro trends indicate that these nations are filling the void left by their developed counterparts. Between 2005 and 2010, for instance, official development assistance by BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) grew 20%, while contributions by the core Western donors —France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK, the US and Canada—grew by only 1.5%. In 2011, total official assistance by developed countries fell by 3%.