The Sanctions and Tariffs Ripple Effect: BRICS and the Energy Security Crisis

This project examines the effects of U.S. sanctions and tariffs on global energy security, focusing on the growing role of BRICS. While the BRICS bloc was initially established as a coalition of emerging economies rather than in reaction to sanctions or tariffs, its member states began coordinating efforts to counter U.S. economic pressures.

Energy-producing countries like Russia, Iran, and Venezuela, facing sanctions, have sought alternative alliances and “marriages of convenience,” using BRICS to navigate trade restrictions. China, also a member of BRICS and now subject to U.S. tariffs, is advancing de-dollarization and alternative financial systems.
This research investigates whether BRICS’s expanding economic integration is reshaping global energy markets, redefining energy security, and challenging U.S. influence over critical minerals and resources. Ultimately, the project evaluates whether BRICS contributes to stability or disruption in global energy security and explores how the U.S. can adapt to an evolving geopolitical and economic landscape.

Mehrnoosh Aryanpour

Doctor in Law Candidate, Carey Law School

Mehrnoosh Aryanpour is an energy regulatory attorney currently pursuing an SJD degree (doctorate in law) at the University of Pennsylvania’s Carey Law School. Her research focuses on climate change, specifically on the effect of economic sanctions on global climate-change efforts.

Shelley Welton

Presidential Distinguished Professor

Shelley Welton is Presidential Distinguished Professor of Law and Energy Policy with the Kleinman Center and Penn Carey Law. Her research focuses on how climate change is transforming energy and environmental law and governance.

Meet Our Researchers