World’s Largest City Climate Alliance Appoints Mayor V.K. Minimol, Mayor Claudio Castro, and Mayor Aleksandra Dulkiewicz to Expand Regional Leadership Across South Asia, Latin America, and Europe

BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (October 12, 2026) – Today, the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (GCoM), the largest global alliance for city climate leadership built upon the commitment of over 14,000 cities and local governments from 150 countries representing more than 1.2 billion people, announced the appointment of three new mayors to its Board of Mayors and Leaders: V.K. Minimol, Mayor of Kochi, India; Claudio Castro, Mayor of Renca, Chile; and Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk, Poland. This year, GCoM is celebrating a decade of helping cities translate global climate commitments into local action. The addition of these three mayors will reinforce representation in the regions of South Asia, Latin America, and the European Union & Western Europe respectively, bringing frontline leadership and regional credibility to drive climate progress through finance, resilience, and multilevel partnerships. 

Working alongside co-chairs Michael R. Bloomberg, UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions and founder of Bloomberg LP and Bloomberg Philanthropies, and Teresa Ribera, Executive Vice President of the European Commission for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition, the three mayors will elevate city climate leadership and strengthen multilevel collaboration worldwide.

“Cities are leading the way in the fight against climate change – developing and testing ambitious ideas that are improving the lives of their residents. We are glad to welcome Mayors Minimol, Castro, and Dulkiewicz to our Board of Mayors and Leaders and look forward to working with them to accelerate the progress cities are making,” said Michael R. Bloomberg, GCoM Co-Chair, UN Special Envoy on Climate Ambition and Solutions, and Founder of Bloomberg L.P. and Bloomberg Philanthropies.

In her new role as GCoM Board Member, Mayor Minimol will represent GCoM signatories in South Asia, encouraging mayors across the region to accelerate their commitment to addressing climate change. With over 30 years in public service and grassroots governance, Mayor Minimol brings deep expertise in climate justice, equitable growth, and urban resilience to the Board. She previously chaired key standing committees including Public Works and Health, and has been part of the political leadership team from Kochi Municipal Corporation that supported the development of the city’s Local Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan. As Mayor, she has championed climate-resilient urban development, sustainable mobility, and gender-responsive governance.

“As mayor of Kochi, I have a deep understanding of the vulnerabilities and the innovative potential of cities in the Global South. Cities are leading the transition toward a low-emission future, and as a member of the GCoM Board, I am eager to bring my perspective to ensure that global climate strategies are both equitable and representative of diverse urban realities,” said V.K. Minimol, Mayor of Kochi, India. “Climate goals are best met when local, regional, and national policies are in sync, and I look forward to strengthening collaboration with multi-level organizations and enhancing access to climate finance.”

Mayor Castro brings ten years of ambitious climate leadership in Renca and across Chile to the GCoM Board. Under his leadership, Renca secured the permanent closure of its 62-year-old thermoelectric plant and has planted more than 85,000 trees in the Cerros de Renca Metropolitan Park. He has developed projects spanning adaptation, nature-based solutions, and sustainable energy, and has supported innovative institutional and financing mechanisms, including La Fábrica de Renca, a municipal corporation focused on local development and innovation that enables the municipality to build productive partnerships with public and private entities. Mayor Castro serves on the CHAMP Subnational Advisory Council and has championed Renca’s engagement in the Urban Transitions Mission and the OECD Champion Mayors program.

“In Renca, we have built a climate agenda that links mitigation, adaptation and energy to territorial justice and social cohesion. In a region facing structural drought, extreme heat and unequal access to green spaces, we have shown that climate action is also a policy of equity.” said Claudio Castro, Mayor of Renca, Chile. “As a GCoM Board Member, I will work to expand access to climate finance for Latin American cities, so that the nature-based solutions and projects our cities already have can finally be funded.”

Mayor of Gdańsk, Mayor Dulkiewicz is actively engaged in European subnational diplomacy and city networks, championing an integrated approach to climate action spanning mitigation, adaptation, and access to clean and affordable energy. Her work has included sustainable mobility, air quality, waste management, water resilience, green spaces, and energy efficiency, all supported by long-term planning and stakeholder engagement. As a member of the Commission for the Environment, Climate Change and Energy (ENVE) of the European Committee of the Regions, Mayor Dulkiewicz works on the role of cities in meeting EU climate and energy goals and contributes directly to shaping EU legislation in this area. Gdańsk is a national pioneer in blue-green infrastructure and has developed one of Poland’s most advanced rainwater retention systems, an approach recognized internationally with second prize at the MERLIN Innovation Awards in 2025.

“I am honored to serve on the Board of GCoM, an initiative that embodies the collective leadership of cities advancing ambitious, locally driven climate action worldwide. Local governments play an essential role in safeguarding the well-being of our communities and building long-term urban resilience,” said Aleksandra Dulkiewicz, Mayor of Gdańsk, Poland. “I am fully committed to advancing GCoM’s mission and contributing our region’s experience to foster scalable, inclusive climate solutions across the global network.”

The appointments come at a critical moment, as national governments are increasingly engaging cities and local governments as critical actors in addressing the global climate emergency. As members of GCoM’s Board, Mayors Minimol, Castro, and Dulkiewicz will help deepen regional engagement with GCoM cities, guiding thousands of cities and local governments worldwide in setting bold targets, implementing scalable solutions, and unlocking critical financing to turn climate ambition into tangible action.

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About the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM)

GCoM is the largest global alliance for city climate leadership, uniting a global coalition of over 14,000 cities and local governments and 100+ supporting partners. The cities and partners of GCoM share a long-term vision of supporting voluntary action to combat climate change and towards a resilient and low-emission society. GCoM serves cities and local governments by mobilizing and supporting ambitious, measurable, planned climate and energy action in their communities by working with city/regional networks, national governments, and other partners to achieve our vision. Led today by UN Special Envoy for Climate Ambition and Solutions Michael R. Bloomberg and European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera, the coalition comprises cities across 6 continents and 150 countries, representing over 1 billion people or more than 13 percent of the global population.

To learn more about GCoM, please visit our website, or follow us on X, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Media contact

Fernanda Salem, Senior Manager, Media and Communications, 

Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy (GCoM)
Email: fsalem@globalcovenantofmayors.org
WhatsApp: +55 21 97310-5812