Cities from across the Global South are carrying a shared message to COP31 in Antalya: climate promises made by nations will only become real if cities are given the voice, the finance and the tools to deliver them on the ground. That message takes the form of the Delhi Declaration on Local Action for Global Climate Goals 2026, due to be adopted on 28 October at the ARISE Cities Forum in New Delhi and handed over to COP31 Climate Champion Samed Ağırbaş for the Antalya summit.
The forum, organised by ICLEI South Asia in collaboration with the National Institute of Urban Affairs and with support from India’s Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, opened on 27 October at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. Its theme, “From Bharat to Antalya — Commit. Implement. Deliver”, sums up the journey its delegates want COP31 to complete.
What the forum is bringing to Antalya
More than 200 delegates from more than 50 cities across 18 countries are taking part, according to reporting of the opening day. The programme features three technical plenaries and 14 technical sessions, focused on the experiences of local governments in advancing urban resilience, sustainability and equitable, low-carbon development.
The first day featured two plenary sessions and eight technical sessions. Discussions covered strengthening multilevel action so global commitments become measurable action on the ground, climate-resilient water management, sustainable energy transition in cities, urban biodiversity and nature-positive cities, resilient coastal cities, and planning that links public health and child- and youth-focused initiatives with climate resilience.
Day one also saw the launch of the Centre for Sustainable Urban Mobility and Integrated Transportation, reports on investing in climate-resilient cities in Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, guidance on gender equality in public bus transport, guidelines on canal restoration using nature-based solutions, and a poster for a UNICEF India collaboration on children’s health, heat resilience and clean air.
From resolve to results
Opening the forum, India’s Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs, Tokhan Sahu, called for collective efforts to develop sustainable cities that fulfil climate commitments and create better opportunities for future generations. “From resolve to planning, from planning to implementation, and from implementation to results — that should be our way of working,” he said. “Our goal is to build cities where development reaches every section of society.”
UN Women India Country Representative Shoko Ishikawa set out three priorities for gender-responsive urban development: integrating gender equality into urban planning, climate policies and investments; investing in infrastructure and services that strengthen women’s safety, mobility and economic participation; and institutionalising women’s leadership and accountability in urban climate action.
National Institute of Urban Affairs Director Debolina Kundu said the forum’s theme reflects the urgency of moving from commitments to action, adding that the experiences, priorities and solutions emerging from cities must find a stronger place in national and global climate conversations.
Why cities matter at COP31
ICLEI Secretary General Gino Van Begin said cities are developing innovative solutions, building partnerships and demonstrating pathways towards more resilient, inclusive and sustainable futures, and that their experiences and priorities must have a stronger voice in global processes such as the UN climate conferences.
ICLEI South Asia Executive Director Emani Kumar said the forum aims to amplify voices from the Global South so they are heard “from Bharat to Antalya”, and that the Delhi Declaration will be carried to COP31 so the perspectives and priorities of cities and urban stakeholders are heard clearly.
The declaration is due to be adopted at the forum’s closing ceremony on 28 October, which also features one plenary and six technical sessions, and handed over to Ağırbaş, who is both COP31 Climate Champion and President of the Zero Waste Foundation. That handover is the link between the cities’ work in New Delhi and the negotiations in Antalya.
The implementation test in Antalya
COP31 takes place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026. Türkiye holds the conference presidency, with Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Minister Murat Kurum as COP31 President, while Australia’s Climate Change and Energy Minister Chris Bowen leads the formal negotiations as President of Negotiations.
An independent briefing published on 27 October by the climate think tank E3G argues that COP31, as an “implementation COP”, will be judged not on a single outcome but on whether its overall package connects ambition to delivery. E3G sets three tests: a credible response to climate science and the growing risk of a significant overshoot of 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming; progress on climate finance moving from commitments to implementation, particularly for developing and climate-vulnerable countries; and evolution of the UN climate process for the implementation era, setting up the road to the next Global Stocktake in 2028.
The cities’ message fits that test directly. If finance, planning support and decision-making do not reach city level, national climate plans risk remaining on paper. The Delhi Declaration, as presented by the forum, is the Global South’s urban contribution to closing that gap.
Key facts
- Event: ARISE Cities Forum 2026, second edition, New Delhi, 27–28 October 2026.
- Outcome: Delhi Declaration on Local Action for Global Climate Goals 2026, due to be adopted on 28 October and handed over to COP31 Climate Champion Samed Ağırbaş.
- Scale: More than 200 delegates from more than 50 cities across 18 countries, with three technical plenaries and 14 technical sessions.
- COP31: Antalya, Türkiye, 9–20 November 2026; Türkiye holds the presidency, Australia leads the negotiations.
- Context: E3G’s 27 October briefing sets three tests for COP31 — science, finance delivery and an implementation-ready UN process.
For more climate coverage from Watan News International, visit the Watan News International English edition.
