India to host 12th BRICS Environment Ministers Meeting in New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 16 (TNT) : India will host the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers Meeting in New Delhi on August 18, 2026, preceded by meetings of senior officials of the BRICS Environment Working Group and the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development on August 17.
The meetings will be held under the overarching theme of India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability”.
Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav will preside over the Environment Ministers Meeting, which will bring together Ministers, senior officials, policymakers and experts from BRICS member countries for discussions on strengthening environmental cooperation and sustainable development.
The Senior Officers’ Meeting on August 17 will comprise an inaugural session followed by deliberations on the priorities of the BRICS Environment Working Group and the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development.
The Ministerial meeting on August 18 will include discussions on the outcome document and thematic issues reflecting the collective commitment of BRICS member countries towards environmental cooperation and sustainable development.
Under India’s BRICS Chairship, four priority areas have been identified for focused engagement through the BRICS Environment Working Group.
The first priority, Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles, seeks to encourage sustainable consumption and community practices while promoting knowledge sharing, best practices and innovative approaches among member countries.
The second priority, Afforestation, Forest Fire Management and Disaster Resilience, focuses on land restoration, capacity building, advanced data collection and monitoring, along with integrated landscape-based greening approaches.
It also emphasises forest fire prevention, preparedness, early detection and rapid response.
The third priority, Circular Economy, focuses on strengthening waste management through robust Extended Producer Responsibility policy frameworks and regulatory approaches, while promoting resource efficiency and equitable practices among member countries.
The fourth priority, Adaptation, seeks to strengthen cooperation on climate adaptation through people-centric and community-led approaches drawing on traditional knowledge.
It also aims to facilitate the exchange of best practices, knowledge and policy-relevant outcomes to enhance climate resilience.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, under India’s BRICS Chairship, conducted a series of virtual meetings, technical sessions, webinars and dialogues from March to July 2026 to advance discussions on the identified priorities.
These included dialogues on BRICS Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy and Aligning Carbon Markets with Adaptation Goals, besides webinars on Initiatives Towards Addressing Land Degradation, Desertification and Drought and Integrated Approaches to Wildfire Management for Disaster Resilience.
The consultations provided a platform for member countries to build consensus and prepare for the in-person deliberations scheduled in New Delhi on August 17 and 18.
TNT KM
