ARISE Cities Forum 2025

The ARISE Cities Forum 2025 marked a historic milestone in urban climate action, emphasising the role of cities as frontline actors in tackling climate change. Held on October 9, 2025, in New Delhi, the forum brought together over 200 delegates from 60 cities across 25 countries, including local, subnational, and national governments, private sector actors, and international organisations.

This forum is particularly significant for SSC aspirants, as it highlights the Delhi Declaration 2025, which amplifies the urban voice of the Global South and pushes for stronger city-level participation in global climate governance.

What is the ARISE Cities Forum 2025?

The term ARISE stands for Adaptive, Resilient, Innovative, Sustainable, and Equitable, reflecting the forum’s commitment to promoting urban resilience and sustainable cities. Organised by ICLEI South Asia and the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA), the forum connects mayoral, municipal, national, and global stakeholders under the theme “From Bharat to Belém”.

The ARISE Cities Forum 2025 is more than a gathering—it is a platform for urban climate leadership, city-level climate action plans, and collaborative solutions to bridge the gap between national climate ambition and local implementation.

Why Focus on Cities?

Cities are at the heart of climate challenges. They concentrate population, emissions, and vulnerability, making them critical hubs for climate action. Urban solutions such as efficient infrastructure, public transport, waste and water systems, and nature-based cooling are essential to reduce carbon emissions and adapt to climate risks.

Despite this, urban priorities are often under-represented in global negotiations. The Delhi Declaration 2025 seeks to address this by emphasising the importance of local action for global climate goals and empowering cities as integral partners in the climate regime, a central theme of the ARISE Cities Forum 2025.

Key Features & Commitments of the Delhi Declaration

The Delhi Declaration on Local Action for Global Climate Goals highlights actionable commitments for cities to advance sustainability and urban adaptation and resilience:

1. Advance local climate action via measurable, resourced multilevel NDCs (NDCs 3.0)

2. Drive inclusive urban resilience using adaptation, circular economy, and nature-based solutions.

3. Promote just and participatory green transitions toward net-zero trajectories.

4. Empower citizens, women, youth, and communities in climate governance.

5. Strengthen multilevel governance and transparent, interoperable data systems.

6. Mobilise climate finance and expand direct access for cities.

7. Champion Global South leadership through South–South and triangular cooperation

These commitments underline the role of local governments in implementing NDCs 3.0 and advancing urban sustainability, which was a central discussion in the ARISE Cities Forum 2025.

Thematic Focus of ARISE Cities Forum 2025

The two-day forum addressed critical urban challenges and showcased innovative solutions:

• Bridging the gap between national climate ambition and city-level climate action plans

• Circularity in water and waste systems

• Sustainable urban food systems

• Nature-based climate solutions for urban heat and resilience

• Disaster management, clean mobility, and transit-oriented development

• Digital tools for sustainable urban planning

• Climate finance instruments and governance innovations

These discussions emphasise strengthening city-to-city collaboration on climate goals and fostering inclusive and participatory green transitions in cities, central to the objectives of the ARISE Cities Forum 2025.

Significance for SSC Aspirants

Understanding the ARISE Cities Forum 2025 is crucial for SSC exams because it covers topics like climate governance, urban resilience, and sustainable development, which are often featured in current affairs sections.

Key takeaways include:

• Cities are central to achieving Global South urban climate leadership.

• The Delhi Declaration 2025 reinforces local action for global climate goals.

• Initiatives like climate finance and funding opportunities for cities help empower local governments.

• Urban solutions, including nature-based solutions for urban heat and resilience, showcase innovative strategies for sustainable cities.

• Collaboration through South–South cooperation for urban climate resilience strengthens global climate partnerships.

Final Thoughts

The ARISE Cities Forum 2025, held on October 9, 2025, in New Delhi, highlighted the growing role of cities as frontline actors in global climate action. Over 200 delegates from 60 cities across 25 countries participated, including local governments, national representatives, and international organisations.

The forum’s key outcome, the Delhi Declaration on Local Action for Global Climate Goals, emphasises city-level climate action, urban resilience, and sustainable development.

It calls for inclusive governance, nature-based solutions, climate finance access, and Global South leadership. With discussions on digital planning tools, green transitions, and circular urban systems, the ARISE Cities Forum 2025 underscores that cities are vital partners in translating global climate commitments into local, actionable solutions.