Delhi Declaration Elevates Global South Cities at COP30:
With climate diplomacy increasingly focused on implementation on the ground, cities are asserting their role as frontline actors. The Delhi Declaration on Local Action for Global Climate Goals, adopted on October 9, 2025, at the first ARISE Cities Forum in New Delhi, marks a landmark moment. It amplifies the urban voice of the Global South, demanding that local governments be recognized as partners in the global climate regime. As the declaration is handed over to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, it sets the stage for stronger, locally grounded climate action.ARISE—Adaptive, Resilient, Innovative, Sustainable, and Equitable—is ICLEI South Asia’s flagship urban resilience forum. The 2025 edition, themed “From Bharat to Belém,” brings together mayoral, municipal, national, and global stakeholders.The Delhi Declaration is the intended collective outcome to be forwarded to COP30
