India hosts 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ meeting in New Delhi

The 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting began at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on Tuesday, bringing together environment ministers, senior officials, policymakers and experts from BRICS member countries to discuss ways to strengthen environmental cooperation.”Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav is presiding over the ministerial meeting, being held under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026. The overarching theme of India’s chairship is “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”The meeting aims to provide a platform for BRICS members to deliberate on key environmental challenges, build consensus and explore practical areas of cooperation on climate resilience, sustainable development and environmental protection.

Delhi: The 12th BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting is underway at Bharat Mandapam. Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav is presiding over the meeting pic.twitter.com/xTGO6tA1LQ

— IANS (@ians_india) August 18, 2026

In a social media post, Yadav said he is looking forward to further strengthening cooperation and engaging meaningfully to achieve positive outcomes for the Environment Working Group.

Under the #IndiaBRICSChairship, welcomed Hon’ble Ministers and delegates from BRICS Member Countries during the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting.

We look forward to further strengthening cooperation and engage in a meaningful manner for positive outcomes for the… pic.twitter.com/CfiuHbcY0u

— Bhupender Yadav (@byadavbjp) August 18, 2026

According to agency reports, the ministerial meeting follows discussions by the BRICS Environment Working Group and the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development. These deliberations have focused on strengthening coordination among member countries on shared environmental and climate-related challenges.Under its 2026 BRICS Chairship, India has identified several priority areas for focused engagement, including sustainable lifestyles, afforestation, forest fire management, disaster resilience, circular economy and climate adaptation.The discussions are aimed at encouraging BRICS countries to share policies, technologies, experiences and best practices while developing stronger mechanisms to address environmental challenges.The meeting assumes significance as India seeks to use its BRICS Chairship to advance cooperation on issues of particular importance to developing economies, including climate adaptation, ecosystem restoration, resource efficiency and disaster resilience.
Earlier, the BRICS Environment Working Group-Senior Officers’ Meeting was held at Bharat Mandapam under the chairmanship of Environment Ministry Secretary Tanmay Kumar. Representatives from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the UAE participated in the discussions.The 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting is expected to further consolidate the outcomes of the working-level deliberations and provide a platform for member countries to strengthen multilateral environmental cooperation.With India leading the BRICS forum in 2026, the meeting also reflects New Delhi’s focus on linking environmental protection with resilience, innovation and sustainable development while promoting collective action among member countries.