On June 19, Anastasia Shklovskaya, research and analytics manager in BRICS YEA, took part in the discussion under the headline “BRICS Countries: stages of development and traps” at the Analytical center under the Government of the Russian Federation. During the event, the leading experts reviewed the models of economic growth of the BRICS members, discussed the problems and prospects of development of their energy sector, the features of the social structure and the possibilities of cooperation in the scientific and educational sphere.

The first reporter was Chief Adviser to the head of the Analytical center Leonid Grigoriev. During the speech, he told about the BRICS academic forum in Johannesburg, and paid special attention to the technological development of countries. The non-standard  cluster approach to the analysis of the development stages of the BRICS countries arose much interest among the participants.

The expert of the Analytical center Victoria Pavlyushina spoke about social inequality in the BRICS countries, noting the opposition to this phenomenon as a priority direction of state policy. One of the most discussed topics was the energy policy of the BRICS countries, a report on which was made by the expert of the Analytical center Vlada Brilliantova. According to the expert, the share of primary energy consumption can reach 45% by 2040, which makes take into account the growing needs of the energy sector, especially India and China. This once again stressed the importance of energy cooperation between the BRICS countries.

A special place in the discussion was given to the priority of sustainable development goals in BRICS countries ‘ policies. The partisipants of the discussion shared their views on China’s ambitious plans to create an”Ecological civilization” on the basis of the “Payments for Eco-system Services” system, adopted by all BRICS countries.

A long-term and promising project, which was mentioned during the conversation, was the establishment of a Network University, which would bring together students and teachers from the BRICS countries. At the moment, the project is facing such problems as the discrepancy between the national higher education systems, funding and etc.

At the end of the discussion, participants noted that the sustainable development goals had replaced the Millennium development goals. Among them are innovative development, social, economic, energy and environmental blocks.