NEW DELHI — Under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026, senior officials from BRICS member nations assembled at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, for the Senior Officers’ Meeting of the Environment Working Group and Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development.
Chaired by Tanmay Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of India, the high-level meeting sets the groundwork for the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled to take place in New Delhi on August 18, 2026.
Key Highlights & Strategic Focus
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Multilateral Representation: The meeting convened delegations from expanded BRICS member states, including Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates.
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Core Priority Areas: Intergovernmental deliberations focused on four interconnected pillars:
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Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles
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Afforestation, Forest Fire Management, and Disaster Resilience
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Resource Efficiency and Circular Economy
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Climate Change Adaptation
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Chairship Theme: Guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a humanity-first, people-centric global partnership, India’s chairship operates under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability.”
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Preparatory Milestones: Prior to the Senior Officers’ summit, member nations completed 21 virtual thematic/negotiation sessions, 10 bilateral consultations, 2 thematic dialogues, and 2 technical webinars to build consensus on shared environmental policies.
