India to host 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi today
New Delhi, Aug 18 (IANS) India will host the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on Tuesday under its 2026 BRICS Chairship, with environmental cooperation, climate resilience and sustainable development high on the agenda.
The meeting will be chaired by Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav. It will be preceded by meetings of the BRICS Senior Officers’ Meeting of the Environment Working Group and the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development.
The discussions will be held under the overarching theme of India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” The meeting is expected to provide a platform for BRICS member countries to exchange views, build consensus and strengthen practical cooperation on pressing environmental challenges.
According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, India has identified key areas for focused engagement under the BRICS Environment Working Group. These include promoting sustainable lifestyles, afforestation, forest fire management and disaster resilience, circular economy, and adaptation.
The priorities reflect India’s emphasis on linking environmental protection with sustainable development and climate resilience. The discussions are also expected to encourage greater sharing of policies, technologies, experiences and best practices among BRICS countries.
The meeting assumes significance as India seeks to use its BRICS Chairship to advance cooperation on issues affecting developing economies, including climate adaptation, ecosystem restoration, resource efficiency and disaster resilience.
The ministerial-level deliberations are expected to build upon ongoing discussions among senior officials and working groups, and to strengthen the environmental agenda of BRICS during India’s 2026 chairship.
Earlier on Monday, India highlighted that the BRICS alliance has expanded from an economic dialogue into an increasingly influential platform for defining its approach to the critical challenges facing the environment, including pressing global issues of increasing pollution, biodiversity loss as well as global warming.
The BRICS Environment Working Group-Senior Officers’ Meeting, held at Bharat Mandapam here and chaired by Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Tanmay Kumar, saw participation from BRICS member countries including Brazil, China, Egypt, Federal Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
–IANS
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