South Africa participates in BRICS Climate Change Meetings in Brasilia, Brazil

27 May 2025

The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Mr Narend Singh will lead a South African delegation to Brasília, Brazil, for the crucial BRICS Climate Change Meetings scheduled for 27-28 May 2025

“These meetings, convened as part https://www.dffe.gov.za/node/add/service of the BRICS Contact Group on Climate Change and Sustainable Development (CGCCSD) programme of work, represent a significant milestone in BRICS collaboration on climate action and sustainable development,” said Deputy Minister Singh.

Building upon proposals from the April 2025 sessions, the 2025 BRICS Climate Change Meetings aim to:

• Review the implementation progress of BRICS cooperation on climate change and sustainable development. 

• Reaffirm BRICS commitments to multilateral climate action, including the UNFCCC and Paris Agreement. 

• Showcase and scale up climate solutions aligned with just transition imperatives. 

• Mobilise public and private sector actors around actionable leadership for climate finance, resilience, and adaptation. 

• Facilitate knowledge exchange and partnership building across BRICS and Global South countries. 

• The meetings are expected to culminate in a consolidated BRICS Statement on Climate Leadership, highlighting year-end achievements and reaffirming the collective commitments of member states.

Delegates will also endorse strategic areas for continued collaboration in 2026 under the guidance of the incoming BRICS Presidency, further reinforcing BRICS' role in global climate governance through leadership-by-example in pursuit of multilateralism and informed by principles of equity, sustainable development and eradication of poverty. The sharing of successful national programmes is anticipated to inspire replication across the Global South, and the meetings will promote stronger engagement with youth, the private sector, and civil society actors for a more inclusive and participatory approach to climate action.

South Africa acknowledges Brazil’s strategic role in advancing and strengthening BRICS Climate and Environmental Leadership, particularly in the lead-up to Brazil’s hosting and incoming presidency of UNFCCC COP30 in Belem, Brazil, from 10-21 November 2025. The work programme and the development of technical documents for the BRICS CGCCSD and this High-level meeting have been instrumental in fostering focused engagements on climate change within BRICS and promoting unity among member countries.

“This resonates with South Africa’s advocacy for progress on enhancing leadership collaboration on, amongst other, climate finance and sustainable development, fair and transparent voluntary carbon accounting principles, enhanced technology transfer, and the alignment of trade and environmental objectives – measures deemed essential for inclusive, transparent, and effective climate governance within BRICS,” added Deputy Minister Singh.

For media enquiries please contact:

Thobile Zulu-Molobi: 
Tel:+27 82 513 7154 
E-mail: tmolobi@dffe.gov.za

Peter Mbelengwa: 
Tel:+27 82 611 8197 
E-mail: pmbelengwa@dffe.gov.za