India will host the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting and Senior Officers’ Meeting at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on August 17–18, 2026. The BRICS Senior Officers’ Meeting of the Environment Working Group and the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development is scheduled for August 17. The ministerial-level 12th BRICS Environment Ministers Meeting will follow on August 18. The gathering falls under the theme of India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, titled ‘Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability’. Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav will take part. The meetings aim to allow ministers, senior officials, policymakers and experts from member nations to discuss issues, build agreement and enhance environmental cooperation. On the first day, the Senior Officers’ Meeting will open with an inaugural session and review priorities of the BRICS Environment Working Group and Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development. The second day will feature ministerial talks on the outcome document and thematic sessions highlighting BRICS countries’ shared commitment to environmental cooperation and sustainable development. India has set four priority areas for the BRICS Environment Working Group during its chairship. The first focuses on promoting sustainable lifestyles through mindful consumption and community practices, along with sharing knowledge and successful examples. The second covers afforestation, forest fire management and disaster resilience, stressing land restoration, data collection, monitoring and integrated landscape approaches, plus prevention, early detection and rapid response to fires. The third addresses the circular economy by advancing effective waste management, extended producer responsibility frameworks and resource efficiency across member countries. The fourth centres on climate adaptation through community-led efforts grounded in traditional knowledge, supporting practical cooperation and policy outcomes to build resilience. Between March and July 2026, the Environment Ministry held virtual meetings, technical sessions, webinars and dialogues on resource efficiency, circular economy, carbon markets, land degradation and wildfire management. These sessions helped build consensus ahead of the New Delhi meetings. The BRICS Environment Working Group was formed in 2015 at the first BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in Moscow to tackle key environmental priorities, exchange experiences and strengthen joint action among member countries.
