The Delhi Declaration on Local Action for Global Climate Goals, adopted at the first ARISE Cities Forum 2025 , marks a key milestone for Global South urban leadership, laying the groundwork for deliberations at COP30 in Belém, Brazil.

About the ARISE Cities Forum 2025

• ARISE (Adaptive, Resilient, Innovative, Sustainable, and Equitable) is the flagship urban resilience forum of local governments.
• Organisers: Co-hosted by ICLEI South Asia and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA).
• Theme: “From Bharat to Belém: Ideas to Implementation,”
• Participants: 200+ delegates from 60 cities across 25 countries, including representatives from local, subnational, and national governments, private sector, and civil society.
• Objective: Strengthen collaboration across cities and amplify the urban voice in global climate governance.

Key Outcome – The Delhi Declaration

• Adopted at the close of the Forum and to be handed over to the COP30 Presidency in Belém.
• Represents a collective statement of urban ambition from the Global South.
• Reinforces the Local Governments and Municipal Authorities (LGMA) constituency’s advocacy within the UNFCCC process.
• Core Commitments of the Delhi Declaration

• • Advance Local Climate Action: Through enhanced, measurable, and resourced multilevel NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions).
  • Inclusive Urban Resilience: Integrating adaptation, circularity, and nature-based solutions in urban planning.
  • Just Green Transitions: Ensuring participatory approaches toward net-zero pathways.
  • Empowerment in Climate Governance: Involving citizens, women, youth, and communities in local decision-making.
  • Strengthen Multilevel Governance: Building transparent, data-driven systems for accountability and climate planning.
  • Mobilise Climate Finance: Expanding direct access for cities to funds and instruments for climate projects.
  • Champion Global South Leadership: Promoting South–South and triangular cooperation for shared urban sustainability solutions.
• Significance
• • Urban Leadership in Climate Governance: Affirms cities as indispensable actors in achieving 
  • goals through multilevel climate governance.
  • Bridging Global and Local Ambitions: Links national commitments with city-level implementation, reflecting outcomes of the Global Stocktake process.
  • Equitable Climate Finance:  Advocates for enhanced NDCs 3.0, ensuring local governments have access to international climate funding.
  • Global South Representation: Positions developing cities as co-creators of global policy and resilience frameworks.

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Conclusion

The Delhi Declaration stands as a defining moment for urban climate diplomacy, transforming the narrative from national pledges to city-led action.

As it journeys from Bharat to Belém, it carries the unified call of cities, not merely to be heard at COP30, but to be recognised as partners in shaping the world’s climate-resilient future.

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