Category: City and biodiversity

Green Corridors in the city and its surroundings

Posted on by burkhard

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 German and Arab local governments 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:

  1. Green corridors as fresh air corridors between cities and their surrounding areas
  2. Green paths in cities and old city centers
  3. Green new and existing neighborhoods

 

The methodology

The learning process follows a modular approach with the following objectives:

  1. Supporting participating municipalities in developing solutions through peer learning and tailored technical advice to promote green corridor solutions.
  2. Developing the participants’ skills so that they are better able to implement organizational changes and improve procedures and methods in their own municipalities.
  3. 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

  1. observing and understanding current municipal practices to identify challenges and gaps,
  2. brainstorming and developing concrete solutions, and
  3. 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 March 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 German and Arab experts from municipalities (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.

If you are interested in the learning process, please apply by February 1, 2026, via this link: Learning process MENA Green Corridors 2026/2027 | Connective Cities Network stating your municipality, position, and the project/challenge in the area of green corridors.

If you have any questions, please contact jelena.karamatijevic@giz.de

Further information about: Connective Cities’ learning processes

Nature at the Heart of Municipal Resilience

Posted on by burkhard

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:

  1. Nature & Urban Ecosystems – Urban greening, biodiversity, de-sealing, urban forests, heat reduction
  2. Water & Sponge Cities – Flood management, river and wetland restoration, rainwater management
  3. Greening Municipal Infrastructure – Integration of green and grey infrastructure, ecological corridors, climate-adaptive mobility and energy systems

 

Timeline

  • February 2026: Virtual kick-off and insight session on Nature-Based Solutions
  • April 2026: First in-person workshop
  • June 2026: Second in-person workshop
  • October 2026: Final event and consolidation phase

 

 Who Can Apply

The call is open to:

  • Municipal and regional authorities from Sub-Saharan Africa
  • German municipalities and counties

Participation of two experts per authority is encouraged, with the option to involve partners from ministries, civil society, or the private sector.

 How to Apply

Interested authorities are invited to submit an Expression of Interest via the Connective Cities Community Platform:

👉 Application link:
https://community.connective-cities.net/en/form/connective-cities-ssa-learning-p

Application deadline: 07 February 2026

Contact

Enhancing Local Governance for Climate Action in the MENA region

Posted on by burkhard

Local governance plays a critical role in advancing climate action across the MENA region, where cities and municipalities are increasingly at the frontline of responding to climate-related challenges such as water scarcity, extreme heat, and urban vulnerability. Despite national climate strategies, local authorities often face limited financial and technical capacities to implement sustainable solutions. However, there is growing recognition of the need to decentralize climate governance by empowering municipalities with the tools, knowledge, and resources to plan and implement locally tailored climate initiatives. Collaborative efforts—such as regional networks, peer-learning platforms, and partnerships with civil society and the private sector—are helping to strengthen local capacities and foster more inclusive, participatory approaches to climate resilience in urban and rural settings alike. Against this background, Connective Cities has organized on the 13th October 2025 an insight session to showcase good practices and achievements from municipalities in the MENA region in this field.

Planungsrahmen für die kommunale Hitzeanpassung in Assuan
Planning framework for municipal heat adaptation in Aswan| Photo: Connective Cities

Dr. Marwa Ahmed (General Manager of International Cooperation and Community Participation at the Urban Development Fund in Egypt), presented the good practice ‘Integrated Heat Action Framework Development in Aswan, Egypt’, where the Urban Development Fund partnered up with Aswan governorate to channel its institutional knowledge while putting together fragmented parts that will form the base for an Integrated Heat Action Framework in Aswan. The aim was to 1) establish a core working group with the most relevant departments to be involved in the process of developing a heat action plan, and 2) develop the general framework and select a zone for piloting. International experiences showcased and discussed as part of the deep dive were adapted to serve in the local context. Capitalizing on the local native knowledge in Aswan on climate-responsive design and construction methods, the local building codes will be reviewed and modified. The general framework includes measures for 1) adaptation planning and implementation, 2) preparedness, communication, and workers’ safety, 3) built environment, infrastructure, and managed spaces, and 4) ecosystem-based adaptation.

Voting for area prioritization and selection was conducted and resulted in choosing “Elsail Elgadida” as a pilot area. Initial needs assessment meetings with local residents revealed a myriad of urban challenges, among which is the lack of safe public spaces. Accordingly, it was suggested to designate one of the districts numerous wide streets to this purpose by converting it into a pedestrian-only area and rehabilitating it with tree planting, shading elements and urban furniture. Local residents expressed their willingness to collaborate by watering the planted trees.

 

Sechs Straßenbilder zur Einschätzung der Fussgängerfreundlickeit in Constantine
Assessment of pedestrian-friendliness in Constantine | Photo: Connective Cities

Mr. Al-Hani Maghzi (representative of Constantine municipality-Algeria) presented the initial results and roadmap for improving walkability and transitioning into transit-oriented development in Constantine. He showcased the multi-stage roadmap that incorporates a wide range of procedures that are categorized as structural (e.g. review of mobility plan), comprehensive (e.g. reducing car use, widening sidewalks, reorganizing parking spaces) and priority actions (transforming the city center into a pedestrian-friendly area). He concluded his presentation with the statement that green and liveable cities prioritize pedestrians over vehicles.

In conclusion, the examples showcased how decentralized cooperation supports knowledge exchange, strengthens global partnerships, and drives innovation in local climate adaptation and climate protection efforts. Through the resulting lively discussion, the participants were provided with  actionable insights and tools for municipalities to integrate climate resilience into local planning, infrastructure, and service delivery while ensuring social equity and long-term environmental sustainability.

 

The recording and presentations are accessible via Connective Cities platform .

Author: Shalan Muna, Connective Cities

Cities Leading by Example

Posted on by burkhard

Cities play a dual role in climate change—they are both major contributors to it and highly vulnerable to its impacts. This dynamic creates a feedback loop that exacerbates urban challenges, where urban contributions to climate change worsen the very risks that urban centers face. As cities worldwide experience the impacts of climate change including rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves, the need for proactive, risk-informed planning has never been more urgent.

Cities Leading by Example: A Guidebook on Risk-Informed Planning and Heat Mitigation serves as a practical guide for municipal actors, urban planners, policymakers, and community leaders seeking to adopt risk-informed approach and to integrate heat adaptation into their planning processes. Drawing on practice-oriented examples, this guidebook delves into city experiences in devising policies and strategies, optimizing the institutional set-up and steering structures, pursuing effective communication and public engagement as well as utilising evidence-based planning using climate data.

Turning polluted streams into green-blue corridors

Posted on by erik

For the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia, the world looked very different when it was participating in the Connective Cities learning process on urban development adapted to climate change between 2019 and 2021. The war in Ukraine began in 2022 and has forced a fundamental shift in priorities for municipal administrations. However, the renaturation of small rivers, which Vinnytsia began as part of the learning process, remains an important project for the city as it forms a key element of its sustainable future.

Recognition of environmental, urban planning and social potential

The city, with its population of around 370,000, is located 260 kilometres to the south-west of Kyiv with 64 small rivers and streams flowing through it. Their potential has long been underestimated. The locals referred to them simply as “stinking streams”, they were frequently full of rubbish or routed underground and the water quality was dreadful. Today, the municipality understands the environmental, urban planning and social potential these watercourses and their banks provide – as blue-green corridors, local areas for recreation and for protecting and promoting biodiversity. “To begin with we really had no idea what renaturation of a water course involved. We thought removing all the rubbish from the streams would be enough,” recalls Yanna Chaikovska, director of the municipal Institute of Urban Development in Vinnytsia.

Handing Over Ceremony for the Climate-Sensitive City Development Strategy for Garowe

Posted on by erik

On September 25, 2024, the Garowe Municipality officially received the Climate-Sensitive City Development Strategy (CSCD), developed in collaboration with GIZ and the RACCA Working Group. This strategy offers practical solutions to pressing climate challenges in areas such as mobility, waste management, water resources, and green spaces.

Event Highlights:

  • Presentation of key sectors for climate-friendly urban development in Garowe.
  • Discussion on sustainable measures to improve urban infrastructure.
  • Formal handover of the strategy plan to the municipality, promoting the implementation of climate-friendly projects in Garowe.
  • Expert exchanges and collaborative discussions aimed at ensuring a resilient future for the city.

The ceremony marked the transition from planning to implementation, empowering Garowe in its efforts to become a sustainable and climate-resilient city.

We invite you to read the full publication and documentation of the event to explore the insights and strategies discussed in detail.

Urban Thinkers Campus in Amman, Jordan

Posted on by erik

Connective Cities co-organized the Urban Thinkers Campus (UTC) that was held for the first time in Amman-Jordan. It aimed at generating insights and discussions to inform urban policies and strategies, fostering sustainable and inclusive urban development. Topics under focus were affordable/adequate housing, green infrastructure, and sustainable mobility. With representation from Jordanian and German municipalities, the Ministry of Transportation, NGOs, and academia, the UTC served as an inclusive forum for meaningful dialogue among urban researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, aimed at fostering constructive urban change.
 

Kufranja municipality – city of oxygen in Jordan

Posted on by erik

This is the first video in the second edition of ‘Voices from Connective Cities’. Dr. Anwaar Bani Salman, Head of Planning and studies at Kufranja municipality in Jordan talks about the competitive advantage of the municipality in agri- and eco-tourism due to its unique nature and high percentage of green cover. She highlights the benefits of peer learning particularly from Madaba municipality on the topics of local development strategies, proposal writing, and forging partnerships with stakeholders from different sectors. She noted that the moral support that she received from Connective Cities network helped her overcome various challenges such as fear of failure.

Watch video at YouTube: https://youtu.be/q6TZawYNglY

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Further information: Municipal Business Incubators in Madaba

Climate-positive cities: circular economy and carbon accounting

Posted on by erik

Background

The construction industry is one of the most energy-intensive sectors of the economy and a major contributor to global climate change. It is responsible for up to 40 per cent of global CO2 emissions. However, there are ways to make construction more sustainable and hence more climate-friendly. Municipalities play a key role in initiating and supporting these processes locally.

Two examples of such municipal engagement were in the spotlight of a virtual exchange organised by Connective Cities on 27 February 2024 and were discussed by 18 (municipal) experts from six countries. The event was part of a one-year learning process that began in November 2023 with the international dialogue event “Climate-friendly construction with organic and recycled materials” in Potsdam, Germany.