The BRICS declaration from the 2026 summit does not use the phrase net zero. The article frames that as a deliberate challenge to a Western-led climate model that pushes uniform deadlines. Instead, the bloc is calling for developing countries to set their own transition pace, backed by more money from richer nations. For carbon market watchers, the shift matters. If major emerging economies avoid signing onto net zero as a shared target, global accounting and cooperation could fragment into bilateral or bloc-level deals. Climate finance, not just target setting, becomes the central fight. The article is short on specifics, like how much finance would flow or how progress would be measured. But the direction is clear: BRICS wants a transition model built around national flexibility and upfront support, not one deadline for everyone.
