ARISE Cities Forum 2026 opens in Delhi; declaration headed for COP31
Why in the news
The second edition of the ARISE Cities Forum opened at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, on 27 October 2026. Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affairs Tokhan Sahu inaugurated the two-day event.
Key facts
- Organisers: ICLEI South Asia, with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), supported by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA).
- Theme: From India to Antalya: Commitment. Implementation. Outcomes.
- Participation: 200+ delegates from more than 50 cities in over 18 Global South countries.
- Delhi Declaration 2026 for Global Climate Goals through Local Action is to be adopted on 28 October and presented at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.
- The declaration will be handed to Samed Agirbas, COP31 Climate Champion, at the closing ceremony.
- Day 1 releases included climate-resilient city investment pipeline reports for Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Edition | Second |
| Venue | India Habitat Centre, New Delhi |
| Dates | 27-28 October 2026 |
| Sessions | 3 technical plenaries, 14 technical sessions |
About the forum
Dr Gino van Begin is the Secretary General of ICLEI. Amani Kumar is Deputy Secretary General and heads ICLEI South Asia as Executive Director. At the opening, Sahu linked urban climate action to India’s climate commitments and the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Exam angle
- COP31 venue: Antalya, Türkiye.
- Forum organiser: ICLEI South Asia with NIUA; MoHUA support.
- Outcome document: Delhi Declaration 2026.