India Hosts 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi Today Under 2026 Chairship
India Hosts Crucial 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi Today
New Delhi, August 18, 2026: India is set to host the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi today under its 2026 BRICS Chairship. Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav will chair the high-level talks focused on environmental cooperation, climate resilience and sustainable development.
The ministerial meeting follows the BRICS Senior Officers’ Meeting of the Environment Working Group and the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development held on Monday at Bharat Mandapam. Senior officials from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the UAE attended the preparatory discussions chaired by Environment Ministry Secretary Tanmay Kumar.
Discussions will take place under the overarching theme of India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 — “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.” Key priority areas identified by India include promoting sustainable lifestyles, afforestation, forest fire management, disaster resilience, circular economy and climate adaptation.
Officials said the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting will offer a platform for member countries to exchange policies, technologies, experiences and best practices. The gathering assumes special significance as India seeks to advance cooperation on issues critical to developing economies, including ecosystem restoration, resource efficiency and disaster resilience.
Environment Secretary Tanmay Kumar noted that BRICS has evolved over two decades from an economic dialogue into a broader platform covering sustainable development, climate resilience, adaptation, resource efficiency, circular economy and environmental governance. He underlined that India’s 2026 chairship is guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of people-centric global cooperation and a “humanity-first” approach.
The ministerial deliberations are expected to strengthen the environmental agenda of BRICS and build consensus on practical cooperation during India’s year-long chairship.
