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International Community of Practice for Sustainable Municipal Development |
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE NO. 99, October 2026 |
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Dear Readers, A recently published British study estimates that heat claimed around 50,000 lives in more than 850 European cities this summer, two-thirds of them attributable to climate change. According to the latest report from the UN Environment Programme, if current policies continue, the Earth is heading for 2.8 degrees of warming by the end of this century. The 1.5-degree target is now barely attainable. This issue shows how municipalities around the world are responding. Inspired by the learning process on “Sustainability Reporting and Voluntary Local Reviews” carried out in 2025, 23 German and South African municipalities have continued to meet in order to intensify their exchange of experience on approaches to documenting and monitoring their sustainability strategies. In addition, we are supporting Egyptian municipalities in improving quality of life and climate resilience through green corridors. Initial approaches have been developed jointly in Aswan, Port Said and Alexandria. We also report on the 19th Federal Congress on National Urban Development Policy. Climate resilience and climate justice, as well as the use of AI for modern infrastructure, were key themes. Here, too, the point that cities learn from one another was stressed again and again. Another challenge for municipalities is dealing with disinformation. The Connective Cities specialist forum “When Facts Come Under Pressure”, held as part of the 8th German-Ukrainian Municipal Partnership Conference, brought new insights. Ukrainian municipalities described how threatening disinformation campaigns can become. The counter-strategies that municipalities are developing were discussed openly. One final note: if you would like to improve the achievement of sustainability goals in your partner municipality by means of an additional staff position, you can still apply for financial support until 30 November. We wish you an inspiring read. Your Connective Cities Team | | |
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INSIGHTS |
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| | Voluntary Local Reviews as a Steering Instrument for Sustainable Municipalities |
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Exchange of experience between Germany and South Africa |
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How can local authorities systematically track their progress towards sustainable development whilst learning from one another? In practice, local authorities often face similar challenges: there is a lack of reliable data and suitable indicators; monitoring systems are still being developed; and the preparation of a VLR requires effective cross-departmental cooperation as well as a clear methodological approach. During two one-week workshops – one in June 2026 in Frankfurt and the other in September 2026 in Durban, South Africa – 23 South African and German local authorities shared their experiences. |
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| | Green Corridors in Egypt: From Urban Challenges to Practical Solutions |
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Egyptian municipalities and international experts are exchanging ideas on innovative approaches to creating greener and more climate-resilient urban spaces. |
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How can cities transform existing roads and underused spaces into green corridors that improve quality of life and strengthen climate resilience? Representatives from Aswan, Port Said and Alexandria, together with international experts, addressed this question. The combination of peer advice, AI-supported visualisation and backcasting demonstrated how digital tools and structured international exchange complement one another and can help cities move from shared challenges to solutions tailored to local contexts. |
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INSIGHTS |
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| | 19th German Federal Congress on National Urban Development Policy |
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“Acting together, moving faster, thinking ahead: shaping cities for everyone” |
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The Federal Congress focused on key issues for the future: speeding up planning and implementation processes, affordable housing, climate adaptation, modern infrastructure and new forms of cooperation between different levels of government. In addition to plenary sessions, 17 specialist forums, six ‘Future Arenas’ and a marketplace offered a wide range of opportunities for focused professional exchange. The importance of peer-to-peer exchanges on best practice – with a view to developing solutions for sustainable cities through mutual learning – was emphasised on numerous occasions – an approach that Connective Cities has been systematically pursuing for over ten years. We have taken a closer look at selected plenary presentations, two specialist forums and two ‘Future Arenas’. |
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| | When Facts Come Under Pressure – Trust as a Shield against Disinformation |
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Experiences from Germany and Ukraine at the Connective Cities Expert Forum during the 8th German-Ukrainian Municipal Partnership Conference |
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False information can undermine trust in local authorities, exacerbate social tensions and, particularly in crisis situations, spread within a very short space of time. How can local authorities prepare for this and respond quickly, credibly and effectively? This question was the focus of the Connective Cities expert forum held as part of the 8th German-Ukrainian Local Government Partnership Conference. Ukraine’s experiences demonstrate just how far disinformation can go and how important secure information channels are. It is also crucial to apply existing knowledge consistently and to empower people to expose misinformation. |
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OUTLOOK |
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| | Expert Fund for Municipal Partnerships Worldwide |
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Call for Expressions of Interest 2027 – Deadline: 30 November 2026 |
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Would you like to strengthen your local authority partnership by establishing an expert position in your partner municipality? The Expert Fund run by the Service Agency for Communities in One World (SKEW) of Engagement Global and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), provides funding for expert staff for a period of 2+ years to implement your joint project on various topics relating to sustainable urban development on the ground in the partner municipality. The application process is straightforward and involves simply submitting an expression of interest. SKEW will take care of much of the paperwork for you.
We look forward to receiving your detailed expression of interest by 30 November 2026. |
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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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