EnvironmentGS2+ GS3

India chairs BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting, advances climate and sustainability agenda

Indian Express·2026-08-20· Read original

"India chairs BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting, advances climate and sustainability agenda"

Prelims Facts

  • •BRICS collectively accounts for 49.5% of world population, ~40% of global GDP, and 26% of international trade.
  • •India reduced emissions intensity of its economy by 37.38% between 2005 and 2022.
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Key Terms

CBDR-RC

Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities; equity principle in UNFCCC holding developed nations bear greater climate burden.

Mission LiFE

Lifestyle for Environment; India's initiative promoting demand-side behavioural change and responsible consumption to address climate change.

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Study Note

BackgroundCore Concept

Background

BRICS — originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa — has evolved from a primarily economic grouping into a comprehensive multilateral platform addressing governance, development, environmental sustainability, and people-to-people cooperation. The grouping collectively represents approximately 49.5 per cent of the world's population, around 40 per cent of global GDP, and 26 per cent of international trade, giving it substantial weight in shaping the global development agenda. India has held the BRICS Chairship on previous occasions and has consistently used its presidencies to embed thematic priorities aligned with its domestic development agenda and its broader foreign-policy identity as a voice of the Global South.

India's BRICS Presidency 2026 is guided by the theme 'Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability', reflecting a 'people-centric' and 'humanity first' approach. This framing draws a deliberate continuity from India's G20 Presidency, during which it championed the concerns of developing nations and positioned itself as a bridge between the Global North and Global South. The environment and climate dimensions of this Chairship are particularly significant given the accelerating pace of ecological degradation, the disproportionate vulnerability of developing countries to climate impacts, and the ongoing negotiations around climate finance and technology transfer in multilateral forums.

The Topic Explained

The 12th BRICS Environment Ministers' Meeting, hosted by India in New Delhi, operationalised four interconnected environmental priorities under India's Chairship. The first, Promoting Sustainable Lifestyles, builds on the principles of Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) — India's initiative that emphasises demand-side behavioural change, responsible consumption and production, and community ownership of ecological restoration. The second priority, Afforestation, Forest Fire Management and Disaster Resilience, addresses growing pressures on forests and natural ecosystems through integrated landscape restoration, wildfire preparedness, early-warning systems, and the application of technologies such as remote sensing and artificial intelligence.

The third priority, the Circular Economy, reflects a recognition that the traditional 'take-make-dispose' linear economic model is ecologically unsustainable. …

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Related PYQs

2025GS1 Prelims

Consider the following statements with regard to BRICS:

I.16th BRICS Summit was held under the Chairship of Russia in Kazan.

II.Indonesia has become a full member of BRICS.

III.The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit was 'Strengthening Multiculturalism for Just Global Development and Security'.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

AI and II
BII and III
CI and III
DI only
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2014GS1 Prelims

With reference to a grouping of countries known as BRICS, consider the following statements:

1.The First Summit of BRICS was held in Rio de Janeiro in 2009.

2.South Africa was the last to join the BRICS grouping.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A1 only
B2 only
CBoth 1 and 2
DNeither 1 nor 2
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2015GS1 Prelims

The 'Fortaleza Declaration', recently in the news, is related to the affairs of

AASEAN
BBRICS
COECD
DWTO
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Practice MCQs

IRmedium

With reference to BRICS's collective economic and demographic weight, consider the following statements:

1.BRICS countries account for approximately 49.5 per cent of the world's population.

2.BRICS accounts for approximately 40 per cent of global GDP.

3.BRICS accounts for approximately 40 per cent of international trade.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

A1 and 2 only
B2 and 3 only
C1 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3
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IRmedium

Which of the following best describes the principle of 'Common but Differentiated Responsibilities and Respective Capabilities' (CBDR-RC) in international climate law?

AAll nations must reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an equal percentage relative to their 1990 baseline.
BWhile all nations share responsibility for climate change, developed countries bear a greater historical burden and must lead in mitigation and finance.
CDeveloping countries are exempt from any binding climate commitments until they reach a per capita income threshold.
DClimate responsibilities are differentiated solely on the basis of current emissions levels, not historical contributions.
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IRmedium

With reference to India's BRICS 2026 Chairship environmental priorities, which of the following pairs is correctly matched?

1.Mission LiFE — Afforestation and Forest Fire Management

2.Circular Economy — Moving away from the 'take-make-dispose' linear model

3.Community-Based Adaptation — Integration of indigenous and traditional knowledge with modern science

Select the correct answer using the codes below:

A1 and 2 only
B2 and 3 only
C1 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3
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