India Outlines BRICS Role In Tackling Climate Change

India on Monday highlighted the expanding role of BRICS in addressing major environmental challenges, including climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. The remarks were made at the BRICS Environment Working Group-Senior Officers’ Meeting held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The meeting brought together senior representatives from Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, along with India.

The meeting was chaired by Tanmay Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. In his keynote address, Kumar noted that BRICS has evolved beyond an economic dialogue and has gained increasing relevance in areas such as sustainable development, climate resilience and adaptation, resource efficiency, circular economy and environmental governance. He emphasised the need for cooperation among member countries to address interconnected environmental challenges.

Kumar also outlined the vision guiding India’s BRICS Chairship in 2026, based on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s emphasis on people-centric global cooperation and a humanity-first approach. India’s Chairship theme, “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation, and Sustainability”, seeks to integrate environmental protection with development objectives. The approach focuses on advancing ecological sustainability while recognising the development priorities of participating countries.

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During India’s Chairship, the BRICS Environment Working Group and the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development have worked together across four priority areas. These include promoting sustainable lifestyles, afforestation and forest fire management, disaster resilience, circular economy and adaptation. The initiatives seek to strengthen cooperation on environmental protection while improving countries’ capacity to respond to climate-related challenges.

The Chair noted that the priorities reflect common environmental concerns among BRICS countries and the need for integrated responses. Climate resilience, ecosystem restoration, resource efficiency and sustainable development were described as closely connected challenges that cannot be addressed effectively through isolated measures. Delegations from participating countries also appreciated India’s leadership of BRICS and the consensus-based discussions held during its Chairship.

The deliberations come ahead of the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting, which is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on Tuesday. The ministerial meeting is expected to build on the discussions of senior officials and further advance cooperation on sustainable development, climate resilience and environmental governance. India’s Chairship has placed environmental cooperation among the key areas for strengthening collective BRICS action.

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