India to host BRICS environment meetings in Delhi from August 17

India will host BRICS Environment Working Group meetings in Delhi on August 17-18 at Bharat Mandapam, the environment ministry said. The event is under the theme of India's BRICS chairship 2026: 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability'. The BRICS Senior Officers' Meeting of the Environment Working Group and the Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development will meet on Monday. The 12th BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting will be held on Tuesday, presided over by Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav.

The Environment Working Group was established in 2015 during the first BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting in Moscow. The Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development was created in 2024. The ministry said India has identified four priority areas for focused engagements: promoting sustainable lifestyles, afforestation, forest fire management and disaster resilience, circular economy, and adaptation to climate change. Under its chairship, India has already held virtual meetings, technical sessions, webinars and dialogues between March and July 2026.