The 11th BRICS Environment Ministers’ Meeting convened in Brasilia, Brazil, on 3 April 2025. Fllowing the meeting, the environment ministers from the BRICS bloc of developing countries issued a joint statement on advancing environmental cooperation towards sustainable development and a just transition for all.
In their statement, the ministers noted that:
“[t]he expanded BRICS reinforces its major role in global affairs and the cooperation among… countries, which can positively contribute to… the global environmental agenda.”
The meeting took place in advance of the 17th BRICS Summit in July and the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (COP 30) in November. Brazil holds the 2025 Presidency for both.
In her opening remarks, Brazil’s Environment Minister Marina Silva underscored the importance of the Global South for multilateralism and international cooperation.
In their 12-page joint statement the BRICS ministers’ signalled:
- the intention to focus on collaborative solutions and best practices to address: plastic pollution and waste; desertification, land degradation, and drought; preservation, restoration, and valuation of ecosystem services;
- collective leadership for climate action through synergies with the above-mentioned issue areas;
- concern over the “substantial gaps” between the current amount of international climate finance and developing countries’ financing needs on climate response.
- In addition to the ministerial declaration, the representatives of the 11 member countries approved a work plan, and Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on environmental cooperation for 2024-2027.
Source: IISD https://sdg.iisd.org/…/brics-ministers-agree-to…/
China Environment News 