In collaboration with the Observer Research Foundation, Dasra, ClimateRISE Alliance and ICLEI South Asia, we hosted a roundtable at the Mumbai Climate Week 2026. Here we examined how multi-level governance can translate climate commitments into grounded action, with particular attention to implementation constraints at the urban level.
Participants noted that meaningful climate progress will depend on embedding climate priorities within core city systems, including mobility, cooling demand, land use, waste management, and public procurement, rather than treating climate as a parallel policy agenda.Fiscal stress, uneven data systems, and limited administrative authority constrain cities’ ability to operationalise these mandates.
The discussion emphasised the need for stronger state–city coordination, more predictable financing, and supportive capacity ecosystems that enable cities to move from intent to implementation. We argued that while we must focus on the long term policy interventions, why localised solutions on air quality matter, and further how these solutions can travel across city and state boundaries through Artha’s Learning Network for Urban Managers.
