India Set to Host 12th BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting in New Delhi; what are our four key priorities
New Delhi is fully prepared to host the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting on August 18, 2026, marking another significant milestone under India's BRICS presidency. Prior to the ministerial discussions, senior officials from member nations will meet on August 17.
This two-day event will be held under the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability," reflecting India's vision to foster robust environmental partnerships among BRICS nations.
The ministerial meeting will be chaired by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav. It is expected to bring together ministers, senior officials, policymakers, and experts from BRICS countries to discuss shared environmental challenges and identify practical ways to strengthen cooperation.
The first day will focus on discussions among senior officials, who will review the priorities of the Environment Working Group and the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development. These deliberations will lay the groundwork for the ministerial meeting the following day, where leaders will discuss the outcome document and explore ways to further deepen cooperation on sustainable development.
India's Four Key Priorities
As the BRICS Chair, India has identified four areas requiring special attention.
The first priority is promoting sustainable lifestyles. This emphasizes encouraging responsible consumption, community participation, and the exchange of successful initiatives to enable people to adopt environmentally friendly ways of living.
The second priority focuses on afforestation, forest fire management, and disaster resilience. India aims to strengthen cooperation in restoring degraded land, improving forest management, and sharing knowledge on preventing and tackling forest fires through enhanced monitoring and preparedness.
The third priority is the circular economy. Discussions will focus on improving waste management, strengthening Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) frameworks, and promoting resource efficiency by learning from the experiences of other BRICS nations.
The fourth priority is climate adaptation, with a special emphasis on people-centric solutions. India has highlighted the importance of community-led adaptation and traditional knowledge systems in building resilience against the escalating impacts of climate change.
Months of Preparation
The upcoming meeting is the culmination of months of dialogue led by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Between March and July 2026, India organized virtual meetings, technical sessions, webinars, and policy dialogues on issues such as resource efficiency, the circular economy, carbon markets, land degradation, desertification, drought, and forest fire management.
These discussions have helped build consensus among BRICS members and laid the groundwork for meaningful face-to-face dialogue in New Delhi.
A Platform for Enhanced Environmental Cooperation
The 'BRICS Environment Working Group,' established during the first meeting of BRICS Environment Ministers in Moscow in 2015, has become a vital platform for member nations to exchange ideas, share best practices, and collaborate on environmental issues. The 'Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development,' formed in 2024, has further strengthened cooperation on climate-related challenges.
As India welcomes its BRICS partners to New Delhi, it is expected that this meeting will further reinforce the group's shared commitment to sustainable development, climate resilience, and practical cooperation. This is not just another diplomatic meeting, but an opportunity for member countries to translate shared priorities into meaningful action for a green and more resilient future.