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International Community of Practice for Sustainable Municipal Development |
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE NO. 97, August 2026 |
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Dear Readers, “Nothing in life is to be feared; it is only to be understood,” French physicist Marie Curie once wrote. With this in mind, this issue takes a focused look at how municipalities can better protect their residents from extreme heat, make critical infrastructure more resilient, and create new opportunities for young people. Safeguarding critical infrastructure together is at the heart of our new Learning Process in South-Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus. Eleven municipalities are working on their action plans and will further develop them into concrete pilot measures to better prepare for power outages, extreme weather events and cyberattacks. Promoting start-ups, entrepreneurship and young people’s participation in society is the focus of the Learning Process “Start-ups, Innovation and Opportunities for Young People”. Thirteen good practices provide the starting point for deeper peer-to-peer exchange and collaboration among municipal practitioners. With 17 expert forums, six arenas and several symposia, the 19th Federal Congress on National Urban Development Policy offers a wide range of opportunities for exchange. It will take place from 14 to 16 September 2026 at the Palladium in Cologne. Connective Cities will also be there – come and meet us! We wish you an inspiring read.
Your Connective Cities Team
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INSIGHTS |
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| | Start-ups and Innovation:
Labour Market Opportunities and Prospects for Young People |
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International Municipalities Exchange Ideas in Bremen, Germany |
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2From 30 June to 2 July 2026, around 35 experts from 11 local authorities and seven countries gathered in Bremen to exchange experiences, learn from one another, and develop new approaches together. The focus was on the opportunities that start-ups and entrepreneurship offer for employment, economic development, and the social inclusion of young people. Despite their different circumstances, many municipalities worldwide face similar challenges, such as a lack of role models and networking opportunities, bureaucratic hurdles, and inadequate infrastructure. However, 13 examples of good practice also demonstrated how these challenges can be overcome. The event marked the launch of a new Connective Cities learning process. Take a look at our comprehensive documentation! |
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| | How Can Municipalities Cope with the Heat? |
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Good Practices, a Guidebook and Recommended Reading
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Heat affects us all. It is one of the world’s fastest-growing and deadliest climate risks. However, we are not powerless against it. Municipalities around the world are developing and sharing comprehensive strategies and sharing ideas – including through Connective Cities. We have compiled a selection of good practices from this context, as well as additional resources, ranging from heat protection plans and green and blue infrastructure planning to smart rainwater management, AI use and digital twin creation for risk-informed crisis management. |
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| | Municipal Resilience: Safeguarding Critical Infrastructure Together |
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From local vulnerabilities to concrete action |
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What happens when a power outage also disrupts water, communication or other essential services? Critical infrastructure systems are closely interconnected – and these dependencies can amplify the impacts of crises. At the kick-off of the regional Connective Cities Learning Process in Tirana, 30 experts from 13 municipalities and nine countries worked together to identify local vulnerabilities and develop practical solutions. The result: eleven municipal action plans – ranging from backup power and digital infrastructure monitoring to flood prevention, crisis communication and new approaches to municipal coordination. What challenges do municipalities share, what solutions are they developing – and what can other local governments learn from them? |
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OUTLOOK |
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| | Call for Applications: Goerdeler Award 2027 |
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Resilient Municipalities: Municipal Partnerships for Civil Protection, Critical Infrastructure and Crisis Preparedness |
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The 19th Federal Congress on National Urban Development Policy will take place in Cologne from 14 to 16 September 2026. The congress brings together stakeholders from local authorities, politics, public administration, academia and civil society to discuss innovative approaches to sustainable, resilient and forward-looking urban development. This year, for the first time, Connective Cities will have a stand at the event organised by the Service Agency for Communities in One World (SKEW). The focus will be on discussions with local government experts in the fields of urban development, mobility, climate adaptation and sustainable transformation. |
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Engagement Global gGmbH
Service Agency Communities in One World
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 40, 53113 Bonn | Deutschland
Contact: Sibylle Loyeau
Email: sibylle.loyeau@engagement-global.de Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH
Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 32 + 36, 53113 Bonn | Deutschland
Contact: Ricarda Meissner
Email: ricarda.meissner@giz.de |
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