The Rise Cities Forum 2026 opened today at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. Over 200 delegates representing 50+ cities from more than 18 countries, representing the Global South, gathered together
The forum theme was "From India to Antalya – Commitment, Implementation, Results." Three technical plenary sessions and 14 technical sessions discussed urban resilience, sustainability and low‑carbon development
Key speakers and their points
State Minister Shri Tokhan Sahu said discussions should move to practical actions. He emphasised the need to move "from resolution to planning, from planning to implementation and from implementation to results"
UN Women India’s country representative Shoko Ishikawa called for gender‑sensitive and inclusive urban development. She stressed strengthening women’s safety and economic participation in urban infrastructure
Director Dr. Debolina Kundu of the National Institute of Urban Affairs said the forum’s aim is to turn climate commitments into action and to highlight cities’ experiences at COP31
Highlights of Day One
Day one featured two plenary sessions and eight technical sessions. Topics included climate‑resilient water management, urban biodiversity, coastal resilience and child‑youth‑focused initiatives
Winners of the Youth for Climate Hackathon 2.0 were honoured with the Ritu Thakur Memorial Award
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Global Buildings Performance Network (GBPN) and ICLEI South Asia
Upcoming events and the Delhi Declaration 2026
The forum will continue on 28 October. The closing ceremony will adopt "Delhi Declaration 2026 for Global Climate Goals through Local Action" and present it at COP31
The declaration will be handed over to COP31 Climate Champion and Zero Waste Foundation Chair Saad Agirbash