Nature at the Heart of Municipal Resilience

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
• Between 14 and 23 April 2026 (max. three days): 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

• Sub-Saharan Africa: Moses Munuve – moses.munuve@giz.de
• Germany: Jimmy Yoedsel – jimmy.yoedsel@giz.de