Shina Ansari, head of Iran’s Department of Environment, made the proposal at a meeting of environment ministers from BRICS member states in India, highlighting the bloc’s significant potential in natural resources, biodiversity, coastlines, oceans and valuable ecosystems.

Ansari described South-South cooperation as a “historic opportunity” to address environmental crises and put forward several proposals, including placing environmental security alongside energy and food security.

She also proposed establishing a BRICS network to monitor and assess environmental damage caused by armed conflicts and climate change, creating a rapid-response mechanism for marine pollution and hazardous-material spills, and exchanging technology and expertise to restore damaged ecosystems.

Ansari further called for stronger cooperation between BRICS member states and specialized international organizations to address the consequences of environmental crises and pursue accountability for those responsible for environmental destruction based on the principle that “the polluter is responsible for compensation.”

She also proposed launching talks to develop a common BRICS framework for protecting the environment during armed conflicts.