Green Global Movement and Global Souths Development Dilemma: Case of Brazil, India, and South Africa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.69548/d-jess.v3i2.48Keywords:
Development Dilemma, Green Development, Global SouthAbstract
This study examines the challenges and structural intricacies of sustainable development in the Global South, with an emphasis on Brazil, India, and South Africa. Although these nations have considerable renewable energy potential and natural resources, their green development paths are inconsistent due to ongoing governance deficiencies, policy discrepancies, and socio-economic inequalities. The research employs a qualitative comparative approach to illustrate how external demands from the global green movement, mostly influenced by Global North agendas, frequently conflict with local realities, hence strengthening reliance and constraining developmental autonomy. The results indicate that although there are advancements in renewable energy adoption and conservation policy, the overall green transition is hindered by institutional fragmentation and the historical legacies of extractivism. Therefore, the green development in the Global South necessitates a reevaluation of global sustainability frameworks to align with regional contexts and aspirations. The study enhances current discussions by providing a refined comprehension of structural imbalances in global environmental governance.
References
Adom, R. K., Simatele, M. D., & Reid, M. (2022). Addressing the challenges of water-energy-food nexus programme in the context of sustainable development and climate change in South Africa. Journal of Water and Climate Change, 13(7), 2761–2779. https://doi.org/10.2166/wcc.2022.099
Ali, E. B., Shayanmehr, S., Radmehr, R., Amfo, B., Awuni, J. A., Gyamfi, B. A., & Agbozo, E. (2023). Exploring the impact of economic growth on environmental pollution in South American countries: how does renewable energy and globalization matter? Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 30(6), 15505–15522. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-23177-4
B. Miles, M., Huberman, A. M., & Saldaña, J. (2014). Qualitative Data Analysis: A Methods Sourcebook (Third Edit). SAGE Publications Inc.
Babafemi, O. P., Ajani, T. F., Binuyo, M. O., Ajagbe, A. O., Owonibi, S. K., & Ogwu, M. C. (2024). Biomonitoring for Sustainable Development. In Biomonitoring of Pollutants in the Global South (pp. 191–239). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-97-1658-6_6
Banerjee, A. N., & Banik, N. (2018). Political economy of resources and infrastructure in India. In Changing the Indian Economy: Renewal, Reform and Revival (pp. 1–19). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102005-0.00001-0
Barua, S., & Aziz, S. (2021). Making green finance work for the sustainable energy transition in emerging economies. In Energy-Growth Nexus in an Era of Globalization (pp. 353–382). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-824440-1.00014-X
Bergius, M., & Buseth, J. T. (2019). Towards a green modernization development discourse: The new green revolution in Africa. Journal of Political Ecology, 26(1), 57–83. https://doi.org/10.2458/v26i1.22862
Boubaker, S., & Omri, A. (2022). How does renewable energy contribute to the growth versus environment debate? Resources Policy, 79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2022.103045
Brown, E., Cloke, J., Gent, D., Johnson, P. H., & Hill, C. (2014). Green growth or ecological commodification: Debating the green economy in the global south. Geografiska Annaler, Series B: Human Geography, 96(3), 245–259. https://doi.org/10.1111/geob.12049
Bullard, N., & Müller, T. (2012). Beyond the green economy: System change, not climate change. Development, 55(1), 54–62. https://doi.org/10.1057/dev.2011.100
Cao, L., Jin, D., Gu, M., & Wang, C. (2024). Direct and indirect influence of natural resources and regional integration on green growth: Exploring the role of political risk in South Asia. Resources Policy, 89. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.104581
Cerbaro, M., Morse, S., Murphy, R., Lynch, J., & Griffiths, G. (2020). Information from Earth Observation for the management of sustainable land use and land cover in Brazil: An analysis of user needs. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(2). https://doi.org/10.3390/su12020489
Chaudhari, S. K. (2021). Soil and Water Management in India: Challenges and Opportunities. In Soil Science: Fundamentals to Recent Advances (pp. 751–764). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0917-6_37
Chen, Z., Awan, U., Nassani, A. A., Al-Aiban, K. M., & Zaman, K. (2025). Enhancing sustainable growth in the global south: The role of mineral resource management, supply chain efficiency, technology advancement, and local downstream processing. Resources Policy, 100. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2024.105451
Dejonghe, M., & Van de Graaf, T. (2025). Green colonialism or green transformation? The equity implications of clean hydrogen trade. Political Geography, 120. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polgeo.2025.103338
Deng, W., Akram, R., & Mirza, N. (2022). Economic performance and natural resources: Evaluating the role of economic risk. Resources Policy, 78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2022.102840
Dong, H., Tao, M., Wen, L., Poletti, S., & Sheng, M. S. (2024). Does natural resource dependence restrict green development? An investigation from the “Belt and road” countries. Environmental Research, 255. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2024.119108
Doyle, T., & Doherty, B. (2006). Green public spheres and the green governance state: The politics of emancipation and ecological conditionality. Environmental Politics, 15(5), 881–892. https://doi.org/10.1080/09644010600937504
Dutra, D. J., Silveira, M. V. F., Mataveli, G., Ferro, P. D., Magalhães, D. D. S., de Medeiros, T. P., Anderson, L. O., & Aragão, L. E. O. E. C. D. (2024). Challenges for reducing carbon emissions from Land-Use and Land Cover Change in Brazil. Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation, 22(3), 213–218. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pecon.2024.04.004
Dyer, H. (2011). Eco-imperialism: Governance, resistance, hierarchy. Journal of International Relations and Development, 14(2), 186–212. https://doi.org/10.1057/jird.2011.2
Elbra, A. D. (2013). The forgotten resource curse: South Africa’s poor experience with mineral extraction. Resources Policy, 38(4), 549–557. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2013.09.004
Falayi, M., Gambiza, J., & Schoon, M. (2021). A scoping review of environmental governance challenges in southern Africa from 2010 to 2020. Environmental Conservation, 48(4), 235–243. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0376892921000333
Favareto, A. (2021). The 2030 Agenda, the Territorial Dimension of Brazilian Development and the Drivers of Sustainability Transition. In Sustainable Development Goals Series: Vol. Part F2664 (pp. 123–134). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-56096-6_10
Ferreira, S. C. G., de Lima, A. M. M., & Corrêa, J. A. M. (2020). Indicators of hydrological sustainability, governance and water resource regulation in the Moju river basin (PA) – Eastern Amazonia. Journal of Environmental Management, 263. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2020.110354
Fevereiro, J. B. R. T., & Lowe, B. H. (2025). Macroeconomic implications for the Global South of a green transition in the Global North. Ecological Economics, 237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2025.108691
Fevrier, K. (2022). Informal Waste Recycling Economies in the Global South and the Chimera of Green Capitalism. Antipode, 54(5), 1585–1606. https://doi.org/10.1111/anti.12841
Götz, G., & Schäffler, A. (2015). Conundrums in implementing a green economy in the Gauteng City-Region. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 13, 79–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cosust.2015.02.005
Graham, C. C. (2025). From ideologies to practice: A political ecology approach to green transitions–The case of Tanzania’s Ujamaa sustainability communities. World Development Sustainability, 6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wds.2025.100217
Grant, R., Carmody, P., & Murphy, J. T. (2020). A green transition in South Africa? Sociotechnical experimentation in the Atlantis Special Economic Zone. Journal of Modern African Studies, 58(2), 189–211. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022278X20000208
Han, Y., Li, X., Zhang, Y., & Goi, N. (2025). Balancing economic growth and ecological sustainability: Factors affecting the development of renewable energy in developing countries. International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 116, 601–612. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.02.277
Haque, M. A., Aktar, H., & Masrur, H. R. (2025). Political influences on environmental movements in the context of climate change in Bangladesh. GeoJournal , 90(4). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10708-025-11421-6
Hassan, S. U., Basumatary, J., & Mishra, B. (2025). Role of Governance, Resource Rents, and Economic Complexity in Economic Growth: A BRICS Analysis. Journal of Public Affairs, 25(3). https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70058
Herman, K. S. (2023). Green growth and innovation in the Global South: a systematic literature review. Innovation and Development, 13(1), 43–69. https://doi.org/10.1080/2157930X.2021.1909821
Iyiola, A. O., Akingba, O. O., Alimi, S. K., Akinsorotan, A. M., Osei, S. A., Idowu, C. F., Izah, S. C., & Ogwu, M. C. (2025). Impact Assessment of Biobased Products in the Global South. In Sustainable Bioeconomy Development in the Global South: Volume II Bioeconomy Techniques (pp. 431–453). Springer Science+Business Media. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-0305-3_16
Iyiola, A. O., & Ogwu, M. C. (2025). Environmental Management Using Renewable Biological Resources in the Global South. In Sustainable Bioeconomy Development in the Global South: Volume II Bioeconomy Techniques (pp. 299–323). Springer Science+Business Media. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-0305-3_11
Kararach, G. (2024). South Africa: Economic policies to promote equality and achieve high-income status. In Avoiding the Middle-Income Trap in Africa: Economic Challenges and Policy Responses (pp. 123–168). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-69248-2_5
Kgoale, P. T., & Odeku, K. O. (2019). Transformative mineral resources beneficiation intervention fostering local entrepreneurship in South Africa. Academy of Entrepreneurship Journal, 25(2). https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85072152062&partnerID=40&md5=ce6458dde1fcbb5a0e3057b3ed47a388
La Rovere, E. L. (2020). The potential contribution of emerging economies to stop dangerous climate change. The case of Brazil. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change, 11(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.614
Laumanns, U., Reiche, D., & Bechberger, M. (2004). Renewable energies in developing countries: Issues, interests, and implications. Energy and Environment, 15(4), 731–741. https://doi.org/10.1260/0958305042259774
Li, F., Zhang, J., & Li, X. (2022). Research on supporting developing countries to achieve green development transition: Based on the perspective of renewable energy and foreign direct investment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.133726
Li, T., Yue, X.-G., Waheed, H., & Yıldırım, B. (2023). Can energy efficiency and natural resources foster economic growth? Evidence from BRICS countries. Resources Policy, 83. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.103643
Liphadzi, S., Mpandeli, S., Svinurai, W., Marumure, J., & Nhamo, L. (2024). Pathways to Enhance the Adaptive Capacity and Resilience to Climate Change in Southern Africa. In Sustainable Development Goals Series: Vol. Part F3958 (pp. 49–64). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-73600-1_4
MacArthur, J. L., Hoicka, C. E., Castleden, H., Das, R., & Lieu, J. (2020). Canada’s Green New Deal: Forging the socio-political foundations of climate resilient infrastructure? Energy Research and Social Science, 65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2020.101442
Manju, S., & Sagar, N. (2017). Progressing towards the development of sustainable energy: A critical review on the current status, applications, developmental barriers and prospects of solar photovoltaic systems in India. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 70, 298–313. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2016.11.226
Mdluli, T. N., & Vogel, C. H. (2010). Challenges to achieving a successful transition to a low carbon economy in South Africa: Examples from poor urban communities. Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, 15(3), 205–222. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11027-009-9195-4
Meena, B. S., Kishor, K., Kumari, S., & Gautam, P. (2017). Resource conservation techniques in crop production. Water and Energy International, 60(RNI9), 63–66. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85041332361&partnerID=40&md5=9fa3fb566084d40ba2f5d9d338cc5e1b
Meissner, H. H., Scholtz, M. M., & Palmer, A. R. (2013). Sustainability of the South African livestock sector towards 2050 Part 1: Worth and impact of the sector. South African Journal of Animal Science, 43(3), 282–297. https://doi.org/10.4314/sajas.v43i3.
Mohamad, A. H. H. B., & Ab-Rahim, R. (2024). Do the various sources of energy consumption affect the environmental degradation in India? International Journal of Renewable Energy Development, 13(2), 168–178. https://doi.org/10.61435/ijred.2024.55836
Mohamed, N. (2018). Sustainability transitions in South Africa. In Sustainability Transitions in South Africa. Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315190617
Mondal, S., Mondal, A., Rathore, J., Koundinya, K. K., & Sharma, A. K. (2024). India’s shift toward sustainable energy: A comprehensive approach to renewable energy integration and environmental sustainability. Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 16(4). https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0220054
Mpuure, D. M.-N., & Mengba, J. D. (2024). Natural resource dependence, policy and institutions for environmental sustainability and African welfare. Sustainable Development, 32(3), 2176–2193. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2752
Murshed, M. (2024). Can resolving geopolitical tensions help South Asian countries elude the carbon curse of natural resources? Resources Policy, 90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2024.104830
Naz, S., Sultan, R., Zaman, K., Aldakhil, A. M., Nassani, A. A., & Abro, M. M. Q. (2019). Moderating and mediating role of renewable energy consumption, FDI inflows, and economic growth on carbon dioxide emissions: evidence from robust least square estimator. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 26(3), 2806–2819. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3837-6
Ogwu, M. C., Iyiola, A. O., Fawole, W. O., & Izah, S. C. (2025). Biobased Resource Recovery Techniques in the Global South. In Sustainable Bioeconomy Development in the Global South: Volume II Bioeconomy Techniques (pp. 455–484). Springer Science+Business Media. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-96-0305-3_17
Oliveira, P. T. S., de Faria Godoi, R., Colman, C. B., Motta, J. S., Sone, J. S., & Almagro, A. (2023). Agricultural Land Degradation in Brazil. In Handbook of Environmental Chemistry (Vol. 120, pp. 97–127). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1007/698_2022_923
Pettifor, A. (2022). THE GREEN NEW DEAL, CLIMATE BREAKDOWN, AND POWER. In Routledge Handbook on the Green New Deal (pp. 23–34). Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003110880-3
Phillips, R. K., & Grubert, E. (2011). Water and deforestation in Brazil: Future challenges for policy implementation. World Environmental and Water Resources Congress 2011: Bearing Knowledge for Sustainability - Proceedings of the 2011 World Environmental and Water Resources Congress, 1247–1256. https://doi.org/10.1061/41173(414)129
Ronquest, M. (2012). The business case for sustainable finance in South Africa. In The Business Case for Sustainable Finance (pp. 134–147). Taylor and Francis. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203111307-19
Rootes, C. (2006). Facing south? British environmental movement organisations and the challenge of globalisation. Environmental Politics, 15(5), 768–786. https://doi.org/10.1080/09644010600937207
Rovinskaya, T. L. (2015). Greens in Europe: Incremental growth. World Economy and International Relations, 59(12), 58–71. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85033680411&partnerID=40&md5=c56be255b46615b941355ffedf8aac0b
Samal, S. K. (2019). Revolution of green economy for the sustainable development of neoliberal capitalism. International Journal of Psychosocial Rehabilitation, 23(6), 639–645. https://doi.org/10.37200/IJPR/V23I6/PR190821
Santa Rita, L. P., Ramos Filho, J. R. B., da Silva, E. M., da Silva, B. A., Balliano, T. L., de Oliveira, W. S., de Sousa Oliveira, R., Silva, J. R., & Lima, C. P. (2025). Strategies for Bioeconomy Development: Insights into Brazil’s New Industrial Policy. In T. E.L.S. (Ed.), Springer Proceedings in Business and Economics (pp. 111–121). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-86660-9_9
Shaw, T. M. (2015). African agency? Africa, South Africa and the BRICS. International Politics, 52(2), 255–268. https://doi.org/10.1057/ip.2014.48
Smith, J. (2014). Counter-hegemonic networks and the transformation of global climate politics: Rethinking movement-state relations. Global Discourse, 4(2–3), 120–138. https://doi.org/10.1080/23269995.2013.874111
Smith, J. (2016). Counter-hegemonic networks and the transformation of global climate politics: Rethinking movement-state relations. In Protest - Analysing Current Trends (pp. 12–30). Taylor and Francis Inc. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84979901479&partnerID=40&md5=ef8918aca8c72bab688376c27461b72f
Volpi, G., Jannuzzi, G., Dourado, R., & Gomes, M. (2006). A sustainable electricity blueprint for Brazil. Energy for Sustainable Development, 10(4), 14–24. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0973-0826(08)60552-9
Wanner, T. (2015). The New ‘Passive Revolution’ of the Green Economy and Growth Discourse: Maintaining the ‘Sustainable Development’ of Neoliberal Capitalism. New Political Economy, 20(1), 21–41. https://doi.org/10.1080/13563467.2013.866081
Winkler, H., & Marquand, A. (2009). Changing development paths: From an energy-intensive to low-carbon economy in South Africa. Climate and Development, 1(1), 47–65. https://doi.org/10.3763/cdev.2009.0003
Yang, J., & Koondhar, M. A. (2024). Impact of mineral based social equity on unearthing inequities: A longitudinal analysis of environmental and social equity of mineral exploitation in the global south. Journal of Environmental Management, 365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.121492
Yang, X., Liu, X., Ran, Q., & Razzaq, A. (2023). How does natural resource dependence influence industrial green transformation in China? Appraising underlying mechanisms for sustainable development at regional level. Resources Policy, 86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.104191
Yu, Z., Youn, I. J., Alessa, N., & Borgi, H. (2023). Does natural-resource-dependency create the need of green innovation? Resources Policy, 85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.103946
Zeng, B., Fahad, S., Bai, D., Zhang, J., & Işık, C. (2023). Assessing the sustainability of natural resources using the five forces and value chain combined models: The influence of solar energy development. Resources Policy, 86. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2023.104079
Zhao, L., & Rasoulinezhad, E. (2023). Role of natural resources utilization efficiency in achieving green economic recovery: Evidence from BRICS countries. Resources Policy, 80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resourpol.2022.103164
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Marenda Athallah Farras Majid

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgment of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgment of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.







