BRICS Nations Push Climate Cooperation at New Delhi Meeting

The meeting brought together the Environment Working Group and the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, with Environment Ministry Secretary Tanmay Kumar chairing the proceedings.

Senior officials from BRICS countries gathered at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on August 17, 2026, to take forward discussions on climate change, environmental protection and sustainable development under India's BRICS Chairship. The meeting brought together the Environment Working Group and the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development, with Environment Ministry Secretary Tanmay Kumar chairing the proceedings.

Delegations from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates joined India for the discussions, reflecting the expanded BRICS membership and the growing environmental agenda within the grouping. Kumar said BRICS has evolved during the past two decades from a platform centred on economic dialogue into a forum that is increasingly addressing pollution, biodiversity loss, global warming and other environmental pressures affecting its members.

India Places People-Centric Development at Centre of BRICS Agenda

India's BRICS Chairship in 2026 is being guided by the theme "Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability," drawing on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for global cooperation built around a humanity-first approach. The environmental discussions have sought to connect ecological priorities with development needs rather than treating climate action and economic progress as separate issues.

Kumar noted that cooperation among BRICS members has expanded into areas such as sustainable development, climate resilience and adaptation, resource efficiency, circular economy practices and environmental governance. These issues carry particular significance for BRICS economies as they manage development requirements alongside rising climate risks and pressure on natural resources.

Four Priorities Shape Environmental Cooperation

Work during India's Chairship has centred on four connected areas: promoting sustainable lifestyles; afforestation, forest fire management and disaster resilience; circular economy; and adaptation. These priorities reflect challenges that affect BRICS countries in different ways while also creating room for members to share policies, technologies and practical experiences that can be adapted to their national circumstances.

The Indian side stressed that climate resilience, restoration of ecosystems, efficient use of resources and sustainable development are closely connected, making coordinated responses more useful than tackling each challenge separately. The approach also gives countries with different economic conditions and environmental concerns a broader framework for identifying areas where cooperation can produce practical benefits.

Considerable groundwork has already gone into developing that shared agenda. Since India assumed the BRICS Chairship, member countries have participated in 21 virtual thematic and negotiation meetings, 10 bilateral consultations, two thematic dialogues and two technical webinars, with the Senior Officers' Meeting providing an opportunity to build consensus after months of discussions.

Environment Ministers Set to Continue Talks in New Delhi

The senior-level deliberations come immediately before the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting, scheduled to take place in New Delhi on August 18. The ministerial gathering is expected to carry forward the work completed by officials and provide the next stage for discussions around the environmental priorities pursued during India's Chairship.

Kumar expressed confidence that cooperation, mutual respect and consensus-based discussions would continue to shape the engagement among member countries. Participating delegations congratulated India on its leadership of the BRICS process and recognised the efforts made to bring members together for sustained discussions on shared environmental priorities.

The New Delhi meetings highlight the growing environmental dimension of BRICS cooperation at a time when its members face diverse but interconnected pressures involving climate adaptation, forests, disasters, consumption patterns and resource use. Building agreement among these economies could give the grouping a larger role in shaping practical approaches to sustainable development and climate resilience.