SYLLABUS

GS-2: Important International institutions, agencies and fora – their structure, mandate.

Context: India is set to host the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi on 18 August 2026, under the overarching theme of its BRICS Chairship 2026 — “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

More on the News

• India is hosting the meeting as part of its BRICS Chairship 2026 to build consensus and strengthen environmental cooperation among BRICS Member Countries.

• The BRICS Senior Officers’ Meeting of the Environment Working Group and Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development will be held on 17 August 2026, followed by the 12th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting on 18 August 2026.

• India has identified four priority areas under the BRICS Environment Working Group: 

• Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles: Promotes mindful consumption and community practices while encouraging knowledge sharing, leading practices and innovative approaches.
• Afforestation, Forest Fire Management and Disaster Resilience: Focuses on land restoration, capacity building, monitoring, landscape-based greening, and forest fire prevention, preparedness, early detection and rapid response.
• Circular Economy: Promotes effective waste management through robust Extended Producer Responsibility frameworks and regulatory approaches to improve resource-use efficiency.
• Adaptation: Advances people-centric and community-led climate adaptation based on traditional knowledge, knowledge exchange and sharing of best practices to strengthen climate resilience.

About the BRICS Environment Working Group

• The BRICS Environment Working Group (EWG) was established in 2015 during the first BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting in Moscow.

• It provides a platform for BRICS countries to address fundamental environmental priorities, exchange experiences and share best practices.

• It aims to strengthen collective action and environmental cooperation among BRICS Member Countries.

• The Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development was established in 2024 as a mechanism for cooperation on climate change issues among BRICS Member Countries.

About BRICS

• BRICS is a platform for consultation and cooperation among major emerging markets and developing countries on issues of global and regional significance. 

• BRIC, comprising Brazil, Russia, India and China, was formalised at the first meeting of BRIC Foreign Ministers on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York in 2006

• The inaugural BRIC Summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009.

• South Africa joined BRIC, making it BRICS, and participated in the 3rd BRICS Summit in Sanya in 2011.

• Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates became full members in January 2024, while Indonesia became a full member in January 2025.

• Belarus, Bolivia, Kazakhstan, Cuba, Malaysia, Nigeria, Thailand, Uganda, Uzbekistan and Vietnam joined BRICS as Partner Countries in 2025.

• BRICS currently brings together 11 full member countries: Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

• India holds the BRICS Chairship for the fourth time in 2026, following prior terms in 2012, 2016, and 2021.