The world’s largest alliance of cities fighting climate change has appointed three new mayors to its leadership board, giving South Asia, Latin America and Europe new champions for urban climate action just weeks before the COP31 climate summit in Antalya.
The Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM) announced on 12 October 2026 that V.K. Minimol, Mayor of Kochi in India, Claudio Castro, Mayor of Renca in Chile, and Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk in Poland will join its Board of Mayors and Leaders.
GCoM unites more than 14,000 cities and local governments across 150 countries. The alliance is celebrating a decade of work this year, and the three new board members will serve as regional climate leaders — city-level green ambassadors who guide thousands of cities in setting bold targets, unlocking climate finance and turning global climate commitments into local action.
A critical moment for cities
The appointments come at a moment when national governments are increasingly relying on cities and local governments as key actors in tackling the climate emergency, according to GCoM. The three mayors will work alongside the alliance’s co-chairs — Michael R. Bloomberg, the UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions, and Teresa Ribera, the European Commission’s Executive Vice President for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.
Welcoming the new members, Bloomberg said cities are developing and testing ambitious climate ideas that are improving the lives of their residents, and that he looks forward to working with the mayors to accelerate the progress cities are making.
Kochi: climate justice and urban resilience
Mayor V.K. Minimol will represent GCoM signatories in South Asia, encouraging mayors across the region to step up their climate commitments. With more than 30 years in public service and grassroots governance, she brings deep experience in climate justice, equitable growth and urban resilience.
She previously chaired key standing committees on public works and health, and was part of the political leadership team at the Kochi Municipal Corporation that supported the development of the city’s Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. As mayor, she has championed climate-resilient urban development, sustainable mobility and gender-responsive governance.
Minimol said cities are leading the transition toward a low-emission future, and that she wants to make sure global climate strategies are equitable and reflect the diverse realities of cities in the Global South.
Renca: from coal plant to 85,000 trees
Mayor Claudio Castro brings ten years of ambitious climate leadership in Renca and across Chile to the board. Under his leadership, Renca secured the permanent closure of a 62-year-old thermoelectric plant and planted more than 85,000 trees in the Cerros de Renca Metropolitan Park.
He has led projects spanning climate adaptation, nature-based solutions and sustainable energy, and supported innovative financing approaches including La Fábrica de Renca, a municipal corporation focused on local development and innovation. Castro also serves on the CHAMP Subnational Advisory Council and has championed Renca’s participation in the Urban Transitions Mission and the OECD Champion Mayors programme.
Castro said Renca has built a climate agenda that links mitigation, adaptation and energy with territorial justice and social cohesion — showing that climate action in a region facing drought, extreme heat and unequal access to green spaces is also a policy of equity. As a board member, he plans to work on expanding access to climate finance for Latin American cities.
Gdańsk: blue-green infrastructure pioneer
Mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz is deeply engaged in European climate networks, championing an integrated approach covering mitigation, adaptation and access to clean and affordable energy. Her work in Gdańsk has included sustainable mobility, air quality, waste management, water resilience, green spaces and energy efficiency.
She serves on the Commission for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE) of the European Committee of the Regions, contributing directly to shaping EU climate and energy policy. Gdańsk is a national pioneer in blue-green infrastructure and has built one of Poland’s most advanced rainwater retention systems — an approach recognised internationally with second prize at the MERLIN Innovation Awards in 2025.
Dulkiewicz said local governments play an essential role in protecting the well-being of their communities and building long-term urban resilience, and that she is committed to contributing Gdańsk’s experience to scalable, inclusive climate solutions across GCoM’s global network.
Cities driving the global climate agenda
Cities are on the front line of the climate crisis — and on the front line of the response. From Kochi’s biodiversity planning to Renca’s tree planting and Gdańsk’s flood-resilient infrastructure, the three new board members show how local leadership can deliver results that national pledges alone cannot.
As the world heads toward COP31, the appointment of these three city climate champions underlines a simple message: the road to climate action runs through the world’s cities. For more climate coverage from Watan News International, visit watannews.dk/en.
FAKTA
- What happened: Three mayors — of Kochi (India), Renca (Chile) and Gdańsk (Poland) — joined the board of the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.
- When: Announced on 12 October 2026 in Brussels, Belgium.
- What is GCoM: The world’s largest city climate alliance — more than 14,000 cities and local governments across 150 countries, now celebrating its 10th year.
- Their role: Regional climate leaders who will guide cities in setting targets, implementing solutions and unlocking climate finance.
- Key results they bring: A closed 62-year-old coal plant and 85,000 new trees (Renca), a city biodiversity strategy (Kochi), and award-winning rainwater retention infrastructure (Gdańsk).
