• Emerging powers vary in their influence on people and the physical environment, which can change rapidly over time.
• The current uni-polar superpower rule of the USA is contested by the emerging China. In 2014, 46 percent of global GDP was accounted for by the USA, with China's economy being accountable for only 13.3 percent.
• A number of emerging countries, including China; and Brazil, Russia and India known as the BRIC countries and other G20 members, are considered increasingly important to global economic and political systems. These are also increasingly important to global environment governance (UN Climate Change Conference).
• Each emerging power has evolving strengths and weaknesses (economic, political, military, cultural, demographic and environmental) that might inhibit or advance their economic and geopolitical role in the future.
• The acronym BRIC was coined by Goldman Sachs banker Jim O'Neill in 2001 to identify four large and fast-growing economies that were likely to have an increasing global influence in the future. The BRICS is coined with South Africa, these five countries set up a formal association 8 years later, in 2009. The five countries, the BRICS, cover 40 percent of the world's population and more than 25 percent of the world's land. Between 1990 to 2014, these five went from accounting for 11 percent of the world's GDP to an almost staggering 30 percent. This is evidence of the increasing important of the BRICS to global systems.
• Collectively, the BRICS have contributed to more than 50% of world economic growth during the last 10 years. Their power is rival to the USA. The rise of the BRIC nations marks a shift towards a potentially multi-polar world in future.
• The G20 is the premier forum, first established in 1999, for its members' international economic corporation and decision-making framing restoration of growth and resilience of financial institutions and national economies. G20 membership comprises a selection of the world's largest advanced and emerging economies.
• The G20 countries represent about two-thirds of the world's population, 85 percent of global GDP and over 75 percent of global trade.
• Of it's 20 members, they include Argentina, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Japan, Russia, South Africa, the UK and the US (all of the BRICS are included here).

Additional resources:

Read the article about the BRICS by Ian Bremmer. Click here to access the article. Devise a table outlining the strengths and weaknesses of the BRICS.

Read page 141 of Edexcel A Level Geography Book 2 by Dunn, Adams, Holmes, Oakes, Warn and Witherick. Using page 141 and your own knowledge, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses that might inhibit or advance the economic and geopolitical role in the future of one chosen BRIC country.

One other key country grouping is the MINT nations (Mexico, Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey) said to be the next economic giant. Watch the slides that can be accessed at the bottom of this section.