Johannesburg [South Africa], September 28 (ANI): Deputy Chairman, Rajya Sabha Harivansh chaired the Commission on Climate Change and Legislative Mobilisation at the 9th BRICS Parliamentary Forum on Thursday.

In the meeting, the Deputy Chairman highlighted a range of initiatives undertaken by the Indian government regarding climate change and sustainable development.

"In its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), India launched the Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) in October 2022. India submitted its Long Term Low-Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS) to the UNFCC in November 2022. Our recent Union budgets have sustainability at the core," he said.

Earlier at the inauguration of the BRICS Parliamentary Forum, the Deputy Chairman Harivansh emphasised on the close relationship between India and Africa.

He stated that the long-standing relations between the two continents have been bound by historical, geographical and economic forces.

The BRICS Parliamentary Forum is an important element of BRICS. The 1st BRICS Parliamentary Forum was held during Russia's Chairmanship on June 8, 2015 in Moscow.

The BRICS Parliamentary Forum, an embodiment of collaboration between the National Congress of the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the Parliament of the Republic of Bharat, the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China, and the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, stands as a testament to shared commitment to strengthening diplomatic ties and fostering cooperation on multiple fronts.

South Africa assumed the BRICS Chairmanship in January 2023 based on the governance principle of chairmanship rotation. About 250 parliamentary delegates from BRICS Member States - Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa- are expected to attend the event which will be held at Emperors Palace in Kempton Park.

South Africa hosted the BRICS leaders' summit in August this year where the historic decision to admit six new countries into the BRICS bloc was announced.

The BRICS -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- agreed at their annual summit to make Argentina, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates full members from January 1. (ANI)