BRICS meet in India to boost shared environmental priorities for sustainable future
New Delhi: BRICS member countries are set to deliberate on shared environmental priorities and strengthen cooperation for a resilient and sustainable future at the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting here on August 18, an official statement said on Sunday.
The event is set to be preceded by the BRICS Senior Officers’ Meeting of the Environment Working Group and Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development on August 17, under the theme of India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 – ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’.
The BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting would be presided over by Union Minister Bhupender Yadav, providing a platform for Ministers, Senior Officers, policymakers, and experts from the Member Countries to engage in substantive discussions, foster consensus, and strengthen environmental cooperation, according to the statement.
The BRICS Environment Working Group (EWG) was established in 2015 during the first BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in Moscow.
It was envisioned as a platform for BRICS to address fundamental environment priorities, exchange experiences, share best practices and strengthen collective action amongst BRICS Member Countries.
According to the statement, the Senior Officers’ Meeting would include an inaugural session and deliberations on the priorities of the BRICS Environment Working Group and Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development.
The second day would culminate in Ministerial-level deliberations on the outcome document and thematic discussions that underscore the collective commitment of BRICS Member Countries to environmental cooperation and sustainable development.
As part of the Chairship, India has identified four priority areas for focused engagements under the BRICS Environment Working Group.
These are ‘Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles,’ ‘Afforestation, Forest Fire Management and Disaster Resilience,’ ‘Circular Economy’, and ‘Adaptation’.
The Ministry, under its BRICS 2026 Chairship, initiated discussions and deliberations through a series of virtual meetings, technical sessions, webinars and dialogues during the period March to July 2026.