Connective Cities invites municipal and regional authorities from Sub-Saharan Africa and Germany to participate in a new international Learning Process on Nature-Based Solutions (NbS).
Local and regional governments are increasingly at the forefront of addressing climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. Intensifying floods, droughts, heatwaves, and land sealing are placing growing pressure on urban systems and governance capacities. Against this backdrop, Nature-Based Solutions offer a cost-effective, multi-benefit pathway to strengthen climate adaptation while also delivering mitigation co-benefits such as carbon sequestration, stormwater management, and urban heating and cooling regulation.
About the Learning Process
The one-year Learning Process will convene municipal practitioners, technical experts, and policymakers through three in-person workshops and continuous virtual collaboration. Participants will progress from problem identification to solution co-development and implementation readiness, supported by peer learning, technical input, and targeted coaching.
The process aims to:
Strengthen municipal and regional capacities to plan and implement NbS
Facilitate structured peer-to-peer learning between Sub-Saharan African and German authorities
Co-create actionable NbS project concepts ready for piloting, financing, or integration into planning frameworks
Generate knowledge products to support replication and scaling across city networks
Thematic Focus Areas
Participants will collaborate within demand-driven thematic working groups, including:
International Community of Practice for Sustainable Municipal Development
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE NO. 93, April 2026
Dear Readers,
“The future is not something to be foreseen, but something to be made possible,” wrote Antoine de Saint-Exupéry in 1951 in his book The City in the Desert.
Seventy-five years later, this statement has lost none of its relevance. Future viability remains a central objective of our learning processes and professional exchanges in recent weeks. We have engaged in in-depth discussions on how data can be efficiently collected and managed to support well-informed decisions in the transformation of urban mobility.
In light of increasing floods and droughts, we have also launched a two-year Deep Dive on “water-resilient municipalities.” At the same time, in the MENA region, we are advancing urban climate action and improving quality of life through the development of green corridors as part of another learning process. During the kick-off workshop, initial shared priorities were defined, and innovative methods—such as AI-supported visualization—were used to develop concrete future scenarios for climate-resilient and more livable urban spaces.
Sustainable local economic development is also placing a stronger focus on the economic resilience of municipalities. The potential of migrant skilled workers is significant—this became evident through the strong participation and lively discussions during our Insight Session. At the same time, it was clear that this potential can only be unlocked if migrant communities are recognized holistically, with all their needs taken seriously.
A holistic understanding of personal potential will also be a key aspect of our next dialogue event, taking place from 30 June to 2 July 2026 in Bremen, Germany.
Under the title “Start-ups and Innovation: Labour Market Opportunities and Perspectives for Young People,” we warmly invite municipal experts, particularly from the fields of economic development, labour and social affairs, and youth work.
We wish you an inspiring read! Your Connective Cities Team
REVIEW
Shaping Mobility on a Sound Basis: Decisions Based on Reliable Information
Inspiration from the Professional Exchange on Mobility Data Management
What does it take to make mobility in our municipalities more sustainable? New technologies? More funding? The will of the citizens? One answer: We need reliable information to make informed decisions that can bring about targeted changes.
At the end of March, the participants of the learning process “Sustainable mobility
– Combination of future-proof mobility forms” took the opportunity to discuss the topic of mobility data management. During the online exchange, a total of 5 municipalities presented concrete aspects of their mobility data management as a basis for transportation planning decisions.
Launch of our two-year international learning process “Deep Dive”
Many major cities are already experiencing severe water stress, and the global demand for water could significantly exceed the available supply by 2030. Water scarcity has long been an obstacle to development for countries in the Global South, but in the future, all regions worldwide will have to adapt to fluctuating water availability and growing conflicts over its use. Water is set to become the defining strategic resource of the 21st century. As part of our ‘Deep Dive’ on the topic of ‘Water-Resilient Municipalities’, we are bringing together experts from eight municipalities in Benin, Germany, Kenya, India, Serbia and Sri Lanka. Over a two-year period, they will discuss innovative approaches and develop and implement locally tailored solutions to their respective challenges.
Greater Climate Protection and Quality of Life: Green Corridors in the MENA Region
Launch of the learning process “Green corridors in the city and its surroundings”
The kick-off served as technical and methodological introduction to the learning process. The aim was to set initial thematic priorities, to make municipal challenges visible and to create a common basis for further cooperation. A central element of the kick-off was the joint AI visualization exercise on green corridors and green neighborhoods. Based on images from urban contexts in the participating cities, spatial development future scenarios for climate-resilient, greener and more usable urban spaces were developed – also serving as a methodological tool to stimulate discussions on the feasibility of green corridors. The discussions were enriched by practical examples from German and Egyptian cities.
Skilled Immigration and Migrant Entrepreneurship for Local Economic Development
Connective Cities Insight Session: The Role of Municipalities at the Intersection of Migration and Urban Economic Promotion
Migration policy may be a national matter – however, its success or failure is also determined at the local level. Driven by this conviction, around 50 local government professionals came together for a virtual Insight Session organised by Connective Cities. Skilled immigration offers great potential for all parties – provided the conditions are fair. Migrant entrepreneurship is also of interest, since it in turn creates jobs. Practical approaches and lively discussion during the Insight Session clearly demonstrated that local governments can play a crucial role in helping the economic potential of migration to be realized at the local level.
Startups and Innovation: Labour Market Opportunities and Prospects for Young People
Call for Participation for Municipal Experts to a Dialogue Event from 30 June to 2 July 2026 in Bremen
Do you support the startup scene in your municipality? What opportunities do you offer young people in the job market? What challenges do you face in your work? The city of Bremen is already well-connected on this topic—including internationally. Now, in cooperation with Connective Cities, the city invites you to join five other German and six international municipalities in Bremen to exchange expertise on startup initiatives and incubators, as well as municipal incentives and support programs for startups and new businesses.
We look forward to the participation of two experts from your municipality, particularly from the fields of economic development, labour and social affairs, or youth work.
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
On April 7, 2026, the new Connective Cities learning process on “Green Corridors in the city and its surroundings” was officially launched. The event was organised by Connective Cities in cooperation with the GIZ project Capacity Building through Urban Infrastructure Development (CBUID II) and was offered simultaneously in Arabic, French and English
The workshop was attended by around 70 representatives from eight countries: Algeria, Egypt, Germany, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine and Tunisia. Municipalities and partner institutions from the MENA region as well as the German city of Erlangen were represented. In addition to the official participants of the learning process, an extended circle of municipal representatives was further involved in the virtual exchange.
The kick-off served as technical and methodological introduction to the learning process. The aim was to set initial thematic priorities, to make municipal challenges visible and to create a common basis for further cooperation. At the same time, the event served to prepare the next steps in the process, in particular the in-depth phase and the planned face-to-face conference in Egypt.
AI-supported Visualization as Innovative Tool for Urban Planning
A central element of the kick-off was the joint AI visualization exercise on green corridors and green neighborhoods, implemented via the CoPlan AI platform. Based on images from urban contexts in the participating cities, spatial development future scenarios for climate-resilient, greener and more usable urban spaces were developed.
Around 550 images were produced as part of the exercise. The visualisation served not only to illustrate spatial changes, but also as a methodological tool to stimulate discussion about the feasibility of green corridors. In this sense, the exercise proved to be a suitable introduction for bringing together perspectives from administration, planning and local government practice.
Key Workshop Findings
The kick-off showed that green corridors and green neighborhoods in the participating cities are envisioned predominantly in urban districts and less in the cities’ surroundings. The focus is accordingly not on planning in undeveloped areas, but on the gradual further development of existing urban spaces in which housing, mobility, public use and social functions are already closely intertwined.
In that sense, it also became clear that green corridors have to fulfil several functions at the same time. They contribute to climate adaptation, for example through shading, cooling, better air circulation and water absorption. But they also contribute to the upgrading of public spaces by improving the quality of life and encounters within the city. Especially in dense neighborhoods, green corridors must therefore always be considered as social spaces of mobility and connection.
Another central aspect was the importance of participation and local acceptance. Since identified spaces are usually already intensively used, the involvement of the population is an essential prerequisite for successful implementation. This applies to the usability for distinct groups such as children, families and residents as well as the question of how green measures can be integrated into the everyday urban life.
Contribution from the Urban Development Fund (UDF)
The Urban Development Fund (UDF) underlined the importance of institutional approaches for integrated and climate-resilient urban development in Egypt. The examples presented showed how strategic urban development, upgrading of existing districts, heat reduction and public space can be more closely linked. The UDF thus not only contributed concrete experience from Egyptian practice, but also an important perspective on scaling, institutional anchoring and long-term implementation capability.
Contribution of the City of Erlangen
The city of Erlangen’s contribution illustrated that green corridors must be implemented in conjunction with traffic, accessibility and conflicts over the use of urban space. In their presentation of the local project ‘From two quarters to one campus’, Erlangen representatives demonstrated how a green boulevard, tram, bicycle, pedestrian and motorised traffic, and an existing pedestrian bridge could be brought together within one coherent planning task. Thus, the contribution from Erlangen provided important impetus for an integrated planning approach to green corridors.
Example Cities and Good Practices
During the kick-off, several municipal and institutional examples were presented that are of particular relevance for the further learning process:
Erlangen (Germany): integrated planning approach to green corridors in existing urban space, with a focus on Green Boulevard, multimodal mobility, land use and conflicts of use.
Aswan (Egypt): Development of the Heat Action Plan for El-Sail Elgadid, including cooling stations, shaded recreation areas and specific offers for children and women.
Port Said (Egypt): Approaches to climate-adapted urban development and the upgrading of urban spaces under the specific climatic conditions of a Mediterranean city.
Telal Al-Fustat Park, Cairo (Egypt): large-scale greening approach in historic Cairo with positive effects on cooling, air quality and biodiversity.
Reviving Historical Cairo (Egypt): Upgrading historic urban areas as a combination of urban renewal, public space and historical identity.
Al-Asmarat (Egypt): Participatory upgrading of public spaces in the residential environment as an example of the linking of green and social functions in existing neighbourhoods.
Outlook
Some of the participants at the launch event
The digital kick-off has created a reliable technical basis for the next steps of the MENA learning process. It became clear that the added value of the format lies particularly in synergy effects betweenconcrete municipal examples, institutional perspectives, inter-municipal exchange and visual methods. In the coming phases, the identified topics will be further deepened, approaches between the cities will be further developed and jointly concretized during both online and face-to-face exchanges.
24 March 2026 was the big day! The in-depth learning process “Water Resilience: Strengthening Municipalities against Drought and Heavy Rainfall Events” kicked off shortly after the World Water Day. Droughts, heatwaves, heavy rainfall and flooding are on the rise, putting a strain on infrastructure, public health and municipal budgets. At the same time, urbanisation is intensifying competition for water.
Many major cities are already experiencing severe water stress, and the global demand for water could significantly exceed the available supply by 2030.
Water scarcity has long been an obstacle to development for countries in the Global South, but in the future, all regions worldwide will have to adapt to fluctuating water availability and growing conflicts over its use. Water is set to become the defining strategic resource of the 21st century.
Key solutions are emerging at a local level. Although the broader circumstances vary greatly, local authorities face similar structural challenges, making exchange and collaborative learning particularly valuable.
As part of our ‘Deep Dive’ on the topic of ‘Water-Resilient Municipalities’, we are bringing together experts from eight municipalities in Benin, Germany, Kenya, India, Serbia and Sri Lanka. Over a two-year period, they will discuss innovative approaches, such as sponge city concepts, blue corridors and integrated blue-green-red infrastructure, and develop and implement locally tailored solutions to their respective challenges.
During the initial virtual meeting, the municipalities presented their local challenges, identified initial similarities, and prepared for the first in-person working meeting in Wuppertal in early May. Further updates from our ‘Deep Dive’ project will follow from May 2026.
The participating cities are: Natitingou (Benin), Dresden, Wunstorf and Wuppertal (Germany), Homa Bay (Kenya), Hyderabad (India), Niš (Serbia) and Akkaraipattu (Sri Lanka).
Kick-off Event: 7th – 9th April 2026 (TBC) in Egypt
Local authorities in Germany, North Africa, and the Middle East face similar challenges in the face of climate change. They are called upon to translate general strategies for climate change adaptation and climate protection into concrete local measures. One option is to develop green corridors – e.g., as green walkways in city centers or as green corridors in the surrounding areas and new neighborhoods. These enable improved fresh air supply, quality of life, and more efficient water management. Green corridors can also be used for local recreation and heat protection in municipalities.
Against this backdrop, Connective Cities offers experts from local governments in Gemany, North Africa and Middle East the opportunity to develop concrete solutions for their own contexts and exchange ideas with each other as part of a one-year learning process.
Main areas of Work
The structured learning process will focus on:
Green corridors as fresh air corridors between cities and their surrounding areas
Green paths in cities and old city centers
Green new and existing neighborhoods
The methodology
The learning process follows a modular approach with the following objectives:
Supporting participating municipalities in developing solutions through peer learning and tailored technical advice to promote green corridor solutions.
Developing the participants’ skills so that they are better able to implement organizational changes and improve procedures and methods in their own municipalities.
Supporting participating municipalities in their methodological approach and the development of financially viable solutions.
As part of the learning process, best practices for green corridors and climate-friendly urban planning will be presented. Participating municipalities will engage in peer learning with others to develop concrete solutions for their individual contexts. These solutions can bring about organizational changes to improve procedures, methods, and data availability, as well as the concrete implementation of pilot measures.
Using a co-creative approach, participants will be involved in a structured creative problem-solving process. This includes
observing and understanding current municipal practices to identify challenges and gaps,
brainstorming and developing concrete solutions, and
testing the solutions with a group of stakeholders, including citizens and experts, to obtain feedback.
Duration
The learning process will span a period of one year, beginning with a kick-off workshop in Egypt in April 2026. A total of two German and approximately 10 municipalities from the MENA region will participate in the learning process.
Participation and contact
We are looking for experts from local governments in Gemany, North Africa and Middle East (district offices, city administrations, municipal companies, etc.) who can contribute a project or idea for a solution for green corridors to the learning process. Ideally, two experts from one municipality will apply and be able to anchor the change process in the administration in the long term. The participation costs (accommodation and board) are covered. The conference language is English and French.
On 18 March 2026 from 10:00 to 11:30 CET, the Hydrogen Economy Unit of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Innovation of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg, Germany, will present the Hamburg Hydrogen Strategy in an Insight Session. The focus will be on how the Hamburg metropolitan region is positioning itself as a leading international hub for the hydrogen economy.
As a major port and logistics center, Hamburg plays a strategic role in linking global hydrogen supply chains with national demand. The strategy follows an integrated approach to scaling production, imports, infrastructure, and industrial applications, thereby making a key contribution to climate neutrality.
Through targeted investments, policy coordination, and international partnerships, Hamburg is strengthening its hydrogen ecosystem — from large-scale import corridors and hydrogen-ready infrastructure to innovation clusters. The overarching goal is to establish Hamburg as a gateway for hydrogen into Germany and Europe, as well as a center for industrial transformation and sustainable growth.
Join us to discuss how international cooperation, economic competitiveness, and sustainable transformation can work together to advance the hydrogen economy.
On 26 February 2026 from 11:00 to 12:30 CET, the Heilbronn Region Economic Development Corporation will present an Insight Session on the Heilbronn Green Hydrogen Model, highlighting how the Heilbronn-Franken region is advancing the green hydrogen transition through a coordinated regional ecosystem.
Aligned with the EU Hydrogen Strategy and Germany’s National Hydrogen Strategy, the initiative supports climate neutrality by expanding electrolysis capacity, developing hydrogen infrastructure, and connecting to the national hydrogen core network.
Under the regional transformation programme ANTRIEB HNF, the strategies RegioStrat and H2 Transform HNF guide long-term planning for energy, mobility, industry, and infrastructure until 2040. Implementation is driven by H2-Impuls, which brings together over 100 stakeholders from 60 institutions, initiates concrete subprojects, and strengthens regional coordination through structured networking and communication.
Join us to gain practical insights into regional hydrogen development and to exchange with experts on building effective hydrogen ecosystems.
The approximately 9,300 inhabitants of Borgholzhausen in Germany are spread over an area of 56 km². One third of the population lives in the town centre, while the other two thirds live in eleven settlements, each with a few hundred inhabitants. From the station in Borgholzhausen, the NordWest-Bahn railway connects to the neighbouring cities of Osnabrück in the north-west and Bielefeld in the south-east. However, there is no local public transport connecting the settlements to the station.
Against this backdrop, Borgholzhausen has developed a new type of electric car sharing service that enables residents of the municipality to book the last mile from the train station to their home conveniently and at no extra cost, included in the price of their train ticket. The neighbouring municipality of Halle-Künsebeck is participating in this innovative mobility concept.
Anyone with a valid public transport ticket can now book an electric vehicle free of charge for a maximum of half an hour on specified routes between certain stops. It is also now possible to rent a vehicle at a moderate cost through the classic car-sharing scheme. The income from this reduces operating costs.
This good practice describes how this model, which is unique in Germany to date, was developed, how it is being implemented, what advantages it offers and what lessons have been learned so far.
Cities worldwide face growing challenges in delivering affordable housing, upgrading informal settlements and creating inclusive public and social spaces. Addressing these challenges requires participatory planning, clear communication and tools that make spatial options tangible for citizens and decision-makers.
The Connective Cities Sustainable & Affordable Housing Working Group provides a global peer-to-peer learning platform supporting municipal innovation through the exchange of project ideas, planning approaches and practical solutions. Building on earlier exchanges (2024–2025), the working group has entered a new phase (2026–2028) focusing on visualisation methods to support reverse planning and implementation-oriented project preparation.
Affordable housing in a traffic-calmed neighbourhood | Photo: Connective Cities
On 22 January 2026, Connective Cities convened an online peer-learning workshop on AI-based visualisation for sustainable and affordable housing. Cities from Sub-Saharan Africa. Europe and the MENA-region worked hands-on with the AI-based visualisation platform CoPlan AI, jointly generating and refining visual concepts while explaining their local planning contexts, constraints and priorities. The session followed a peer-learning format and focused on learning and exchange, not on final design solutions.
Participating Cities
Participating cities included Kisumu, Nairobi, Turkana County, Kitengela Municipality, Windhoek, Mariental, Huye, Rwamagana, Lusaka, Mazabuka, Mangaung (Bloemfontein), Mwanza, Hebron and Berlin.
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Selected City Examples
Huye (Ruanda)
Model for Huye | Photo: Connective Cities
Huye explored the upgrading of a dense informal settlement along a main street. Visualisations focused on combining higher density with neighbourhood-scale principles, introducing a central public plaza, integrating solar rooftops and green façades, and creating small-scale social infrastructure such as playgrounds, community spaces and local shops.
Another model for Huye | Photo: Connective Cities
Berlin (Germany)
Berlin tested a timber-based affordable housing complex in a new development area with tram access. The concept included multi-layered block perimeter development, commercial uses on the ground floor, affordable housing for approximately 1,000 residents in upper floors, and integration of cycling infrastructure, green façades and solar lighting. The city input was jointly contributed by Lars Löbner and Larissa Häeschel from the Berlin Senate Department for Urban Development, Building and Housing.
Model for Berlin | Photo: Connective Cities
Nairobi (Kenya)
Visions for Nairobi
Nairobi focused on low-rise housing along a busy urban street. The scenario combined affordable brick housing with space for local public and semi-public transport, including boda boda stations. Rear-staggered buildings, active ground floors, shops and green façades were used to improve public space quality and local accessibility.
Photos: Conective Cities
Hebron (Palästina)
Hebron explored a park-centred development at the urban fringe, combined with affordable housing. The park served as the main structuring element, complemented by housing forms derived from traditional models, shaded seating areas, climate-adapted vegetation and pathways following the natural terrain.
Model for the park on the outskirts of the city | Photo: Connective Cities
Methodological Example: Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia)
Santa Cruz de la Sierra was presented as a methodological example by Ruvi Suárez (GIZ Bolivia). Based on her work with a student group, she introduced backcasting approaches and a model for assessing the impacts of different urban development scenarios. The example illustrated how AI-supported visualisation can be combined with impact-oriented planning to support the transition from vision to implementation, particularly in the context of affordable housing and public and social spaces
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Recording of the online peer learning workshop on the Connective Cities platform:
The workshop marked the start of an intensified collaboration phase within the Sustainable & Affordable Housing Working Group. Building on this experience, Connective Cities will further strengthen peer consultation formats and link visualisation methods more closely to reverse planning and implementation-oriented processes.
Concept and facilitation: Jelena Karamatijević, GIZ – Connective Cities (Bonn) Regional coordination (SSA): Moses Munuve, GIZ – Connective Cities (Nairobi)
Model for a shaded market | Photo: Connective Cities
Connective Cities Newsletter – Issue No. 91, January 2026
International Community of Practice for Sustainable Municipal Development
NEWSLETTER – ISSUE NO. 91, January 2026
Dear readers,
'If you stand with both feet firmly on the ground you won’t be able to move forward.'
That is why, in this issue, we would like to inspire you to embark on a slightly visionary journey – without fully leaving the ground of practice. We present innovative project ideas and sustainable approaches that were developed in our exchange formats together with municipal experts. Above all, we would like to invite you to participate in the learning processes we are planning for this year.
Our Insight Session “AI for Municipalities” with examples from Jakarta and Hamburg received strong resonance. Our one-year learning process “2nd Hands on Public Buildings” also impressively demonstrated the potential of the paradigm shift: away from rapid demolition and toward sustainable reuse and conversion of buildings.
Last year ended with our annual network meeting, where we not only looked back on what we had achieved, but also introduced new topic suggestions for 2026.
A new one-year learning process on the topic of “Sustainable Mobility – Interaction of Future-Proof Forms of Mobility” has already been launched with 20 municipalities from eleven countries and has highlighted many transferable approaches and projects.
More will follow shortly: In the regional learning process in Sub-Saharan Africa entitled “Nature at the heart of municipal resilience,” we invite you to further develop nature-based solutions to combat the effects of climate change. In addition, there is the opportunity to participate in the regional learning process in Southeast Europe/Caucasus on the topic of “Protecting critical infrastructure through risk-informed development.”
Together we can move forward! Your Connective Cities Team
REVIEW
Connective Cities Network Meeting 2025
Get-together of active German stakeholders on 9 and 10 December 2025 sets the course for the new year
Getting updated, sharing insights into the topics that are relevant on the local level, and fostering exchange—that is what the annual Connective Cities network meeting for active German stakeholders is all about. This year, around 30 participants made their way to Bonn to discuss achievements and visions for the future.
Virtual Ad-Hoc-Session on 2 December 2025 including good practices from Jakarta and Hamburg points out the opportunities and challenges
Improving citizen services, speeding up routine tasks, and freeing up human resources for other tasks – this is what local authorities hope to achieve with artificial intelligence in administration. The topic is an important one and interest was high: The event recorded over 100 registrations, with nearly 60 participants joining online – from cities such as Lusaka (Zambia), Stuttgart, Mombasa (Kenya), Berlin, and Iserlohn. Concrete examples were used to demonstrate how AI can perform simple tasks and reduce the administrative burden. However, data protection and ethical issues must not be disregarded.
Reuse Instead of Demolition: 2nd Hands on Public Buildings
The learning process ‘Reuse of modern public buildings from the 1960s and 1970s’
For over a year, more than 30 experts from six countries worked as part of Connective Cities‘ learning process ‘2nd Hands on Public Buildings. Repurposing Modernist Public Buildings from the 1960s and 1970s ’ on solutions for aging public buildings from the 1960s and 1970s. They deepened their knowledge, learned about potential solutions from external experts and shared their experiences, approaches and ideas to inspire each other. The innovative projects demonstrate the impressive potential of the paradigm shift away from rapid demolition and towards well-considered reuse and conversion.
Sustainable mobility – Combining future-proof mobility forms
Connective Cities dialogue event and the start of a new learning process
38 experts from 20 municipalities in 11 countries accepted Connective Cities‘ invitation to Bonn, where they discussed their innovative project approaches with colleagues and collaborated on new implementation ideas. Represented were small municipalities such as Lahntal with around 7,200 inhabitants, rural districts, and metropolises with millions of inhabitants, such as Rio de Janeiro and Munich. The innovative approaches were equally diverse. The international exchange of experiences provides motivation at a time when sustainability issues are under increasing political pressure. The challenges are surprisingly similar, and solutions are often transferable.
Invitation to the learning process on Nature-based Solutions
Intensifying floods, droughts, heatwaves, and land sealing are placing growing pressure on urban systems and governance capacities. Against this backdrop, Nature-Based Solutions offer a cost-effective, multi-benefit pathway to strengthen climate adaptation while also delivering mitigation co-benefits such as carbon sequestration, stormwater management, and urban heating and cooling regulation.The one-year Learning Process will convene municipal practitioners, technical experts, and policymakers through three in-person workshops and continuous virtual collaboration. The application deadline is 7 February 2026. Become part of the process!
Safeguarding Critical Infrastructure through Risk-Informed Urban Development
Call for participation in the learning process on planning for urban resilience in Southeastern Europe/South Caucasus
Climate-related extreme events, technical disruptions, growing inter-dependencies between infrastructure systems and new security challenges threaten the functioning of urban areas. Protecting critical infrastructure – energy, water, transport, communication and health – has therefore become a central task of modern local governance. The focus lies on integrated planning, multi-risk governance and the development of implementable project approaches to protect and strengthen critical infrastructure. The application deadline is 28 February 2026. Become part of the process!
Engagement Global gGmbH Service Agency Communities in One World Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 40, 53113 Bonn | Deutschland Kontakt: Sibylle Loyeau Email: sibylle.loyeau@engagement-global.de
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Friedrich-Ebert-Allee 32 + 36, 53113 Bonn | Deutschland Kontakt: Ricarda Meissner Email: ricarda.meissner@giz.de
