Tag: import-recent-news-23-06-2025

International municipal cooperation to mitigate heat in cities

Posted on by erik

On 12 June 2025, the working group of the Deep Dive “Heat in the City” gathered online to wrap up their two years long collaboration on the topic of heat islands in the cities. Each city presented their pilot projects in depth to an audience of experts from Germany and the Global South.

The format

The Deep Dive format enables medium-term, intensive collaboration among a small group of municipalities over two years to develop concrete urban solutions through expert exchange and co-creation. Learn more about the format here.

Deep Dive “Heat in the city”

In this first edition of Connective Cities Deep Dive, the cities of Aswan (Egypt), Heidelberg (Germany), Lüdenscheid (Germany), Lviv (Ukraine), Nairobi (Kenya) and Mombasa (Kenya) worked together online and in person, in order to understand their respective challenges, exchange ideas, and scientific procedures. The group was supported by Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in the assessment of urban heat islands (UHI) in the city and development of locally-adapted solutions. Through the involvement of their local administrations, they implemented their pilot projects that incorporated procedural and organizational measures to mitigate heat in their cities. Learn more about each step of the Deep Dive here.

The six pilot projects

Each city piloted heat mitigation solutions tailored to their local contexts, focusing on data-driven, community-based, and cross-sectoral approaches. Nairobi planted shade fruit trees in schools and trained staff and students in thermal monitoring, while planning an open-access heat map for community awareness raising about the UHI. Lviv created pocket-parks and monitored their cooling effects, despite facing implementation challenges like martial law and funding gaps. In Lüdenscheid, a heat action plan was developed through interdepartmental collaboration, including initiatives like refill stations, awareness brochures, and a city cooling map. Aswan developed a comprehensive heat action framework using both local knowledge and international practices, selecting a pilot area for pedestrian-friendly, shaded public space transformation. Mombasa focused on stakeholder awareness and urban heat mapping, while Heidelberg introduced a high-precision urban climate analysis and a climate scanner to make urban planning more climate-friendly, better account for local microclimates, and thereby sustainably enhance quality of life and climate resilience. Learn more about the projects here.

Conclusions

All members of the working group agreed that the Deep Dive “Heat in the City” contributed with a broader impact in the six cities, not only by the development of climate mitigation strategies, but also in the perspective of tighter collaboration among local institutions and a strong feeling of global affiliation.

The municipal experts exchange has led to a stronger sense of community, co-creation, leadership skills, and ownership. As they explored how green activities could be linked to green jobs, international exchanges helped emphasize the urgency of finding solutions. These exchanges made decision-makers and the public more aware and underscored the need for immediate action.

The Deep Dive required a readjustment of their thinking and viewpoints, prompting them to reassess their own methods. They often had to justify working internationally while operations were still local, which helped them adopt a broader perspective on issues such as UHI. The exchange platform gave them also visibility and recognition, which in turn helped influence decision-makers. Despite challenging circumstances such as the war in Ukraine, people became more sensitised—highlighting that the right moment for action is now.

Finally, the working group noticed a growing sense of long-term awareness. There was a shift from seeking immediate results to focusing on long-term planning for resilience and achieving environmental goals. By learning from international successes and failures, they could improve the efficiency and effectiveness of our local processes.

Even if the Deep Dive has ended, the implemented projects are still ongoing and the six cities are better prepared to face heat waves now.

For more information, please contact:

Sibylle Loyeau, Sibylle.loxeau@engagement-global.de

Dr. Ing. Muna Shalan, muna.shalan@giz.de

The state of digitalisation in waste management: experiences from Germany and Lebanon

Posted on by erik

On 28 May 2025, the Connective Cities team held the online Ad-Hoc event “Waste Management and Digitalisation”. The Ad-Hoc events are online meetings, in which experts from Germany and the Global South come together in order to discuss a specific topic of common interest.

By the last event, experts discussed the state of the digitalisation in the waste management sector – and the prerequisites for the development of municipal waste management. During the event, two experts presented their experience in Germany and Lebanon. It was particularly interesting to see that in Lebanon the private social enterprise Nadeera serves as a cutting-edge example, while in Germany waste managed is bedded into a clear legal framework, which strictly regulates the collaboration between relevant stakeholders: ministries, municipalities, private companies, and the public.

Mr. Michel Mokbel explained how Nadeera manages to recycle plastic waste in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates with the support of digital tools. Using their phones, citizens have access to an app, which they can use to identify recyclable plastic waste and get informed about the correct deposit. The application recognizes e.g. bottles using artificial intelligence. Smart bins, reverse vending machines or deposit centers receive the categorized waste. For waste recycled correctly, citizens receive rewards. The playful interaction with citizens promotes their engagement and loyalty, while driving up recycling rates. More than 100 communities in the MENA region yet engage in the platform.

In contrast, PD Dr.-Ing. habil. Abdallah Nassour, who has researched the waste management sector in Germany and the MENA region for over thirty years, emphasized that sustainable waste management is driven more by policy, responsibility, and organization than by technical solutions. According to him, Germany demonstrates a successful model where municipalities play a central role, supported by a clear legal framework and a well-structured financing system. Waste fees, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and private sector involvement ensure cost recovery and operational sustainability. The country operates thousands of treatment facilities and has developed a strong workforce and educational foundation for circular economy practices. The MENA region faces challenges such as weak regulations, insufficient funding, and limited technical expertise. Landfilling remains the cheapest option, and sustainable waste strategies are often lacking. However, there is significant potential for composting, energy recovery, and refuse-derived fuel (a type of fuel produced from non-recyclable waste materials use) especially in collaboration with the cement industry. Implementing EPR systems and optimized waste collection are essential next steps. Municipalities should lead the transition, with support from the private sector and international partners. Ultimately, education, financing, and cooperation form the backbone of a functioning circular economy.

The subsequent questions and discussion revealed a great interest in Nadeera’s innovative approach. Also, many aspects of Professor Nassour’s presentation were commented and furthered. An interest in exchanging on solutions for organic waste and composting became apparent. Following the presentations, the Connective Cities team also offered two peer-to-peer consultations in which individual challenges in ongoing digitalisation projects were discussed among the participating experts. The peer-to-peer consultations highlighted two crucial challenges of the digitalisation of the waste management sector: in municipalities where decisions are centralised to the mayor, advocacy for the digital transformation plays an increasing role; when the digital transformation is ongoing, new challenges may occur and shall be overcome with the participation of every member of the team.

For more information, please contact us at connective-cities@engagement-global.de

Green Hydrogen for Local Development

Posted on by erik

Naivasha, Kenya | 14–17 April 2025 – Green hydrogen is gaining global attention as a key energy carrier for the future. While much of the discussion centres on export potential, green hydrogen production also holds significant potential for local development—boosting municipal infrastructure and stimulating local economies, especially in Africa, where the continent’s high potential for solar and wind energy brings African cities in a unique position to become innovation hubs and key drivers in the global energy transition.

To foster exchange of experiences and best practices between African and German cities, Connective Cities organised the workshop “Exploring the Potential of Green Transition for Local Economic Development”, bringing together over 30 municipal professionals from both regions.

The role of cities in promoting green hydrogen

The workshop, which focused on the role of cities in advancing green hydrogen as a lever for sustainable economic growth, facilitated a peer-to-peer learning space for municipal actors to exchange experiences, address challenges, and explore pathways for green hydrogen adoption at the local level.

Municipal strategies and shared challenges

Konferenzraum: Teilnehmende sitzen gruppiert an runden Tischen. Auf dem Plenum sitzen fünf Personen und diskutieren.
Photo: Connective Cities

A central focus of the exchange was how technological innovation can align with local development needs. Discussions ranged from decentralised hydrogen production systems and seawater electrolysis to the use of organic waste as a renewable source. Especially for coastal or water-scarce cities in Africa, such technologies were seen as promising solutions to local resource constraints.

However, participants agreed that technology alone is not enough. Effective local hydrogen strategies require strategic urban planning, transparent land management, and strong community engagement. Several municipalities shared examples of inclusive planning processes, involving traditional authorities and local universities in shaping future-oriented land use plans and infrastructure projects.

Eine Gruppe von zehn Personen sitzen um einen runden tisch und diskutieren intensiv. Im Hintergrund steht eine Metaplan-Tafel.
Peer Learning Session | Photo: Connective Cities

Participants from countries including Namibia, South Africa, Mauritania, Kenya, and Germany presented concrete initiatives demonstrating how hydrogen projects can generate local value. The example of Arandis (Namibia) illustrated how targeted investment and strategic partnerships are enabling the town to position itself as a production hub for green hydrogen. In contrast, the Heilbronn region (Germany) focuses on the application and industrial use of hydrogen, building a regional value chain by attracting user industries and technology providers.

Furthermore, Karlsruhe (Germany) showcased a successful ecosystem for start-ups working in hydrogen technologies, supported by research institutions and public-private partnerships. Across all cases, one message became clear: municipal masterplans and coordinated strategic planning are essential for cities to fully benefit from the emerging hydrogen economy.
The discussions underscored the growing role of cities not only as implementers of national energy goals, but as active shapers of the green transition. The workshop aimed to empower municipalities to position themselves as testing grounds, innovation platforms, and investment destinations within a future green hydrogen economy.

Outlook and next steps

The workshop concluded with a strong call for municipal leadership in developing local hydrogen strategies that reflect both environmental ambitions and socio-economic priorities. Participants identified three key areas for action:

  1. Local value creation: Prioritising domestic use of hydrogen for local industries – such as fertiliser or building materials – rather than relying solely on export models.
  2. Education and skills development: Aligning vocational training and higher education programmes with future labour market needs in the hydrogen sector.
  3. Partnerships and knowledge exchange: Strengthening peer-to-peer learning and cooperation among municipalities through platforms such as Connective Cities.

Participants also highlighted that green hydrogen offers more than energy solutions – it can help create future-oriented jobs, stimulate innovation, and improve urban living conditions. By linking clean energy production with economic development, municipalities can promote both resilience and inclusivity.
The workshop in Naivasha confirmed that green hydrogen can become a key pillar of sustainable urban development – provided that cities take a proactive role. Where political commitment, technical capacity and community participation come together, green hydrogen has the potential to drive long-term prosperity and shared growth.

Gruppenbild mit sechs Teilnehmenden aus Deutschland und Kenia
Photo: Export-Akademie Baden-Württemberg

 

“Whether peer learning sessions, inspiring impulses or practical insights into hydrogen strategies, sustainable mobility and local project development – the variety of formats impressively demonstrated how much potential there is in partnership-based cooperation.“

– Felix Sossalla, Wirtschaftsförderung Raum Heilbronn GmbH (LinkedIn, translated)

 

“We’re looking forward to partnering with more cities, industries, and changemakers who share our vision for a greener, more inclusive future. Let’s create the green cities of tomorrow — together.”

– Export-Akademie Baden-Württemberg (LinkedIn)

The countrywide localization of the SDGs from the perspective of local municipalities

Posted on by erik

On 7 May 2025 at 3 p.m., an international expert exchange on the topic “Voluntary Subnational Review (VSR)” took place online. Representatives from South Africa and Germany presented their respective efforts to localize the SDGs. The aim of a VSR is to provide a countrywide overview of the Sustainable Development Goals, taking into account the differences and strengths of each municipality.

The German Voluntary Local Government Review was presented by Dr. Bettina Bunk from the Department of External Relations of the State Capital Stuttgart, Ms. Verena Schwarte from the Office for International Affairs and Global Sustainability of the City of Bonn and Mr. Oliver Peters from the German Institute for Urban Affairs. The experts have shown that the Voluntary Subnational Review can be prepared in an agile and efficient manner, if the data is available. It is particularly important to have a set of national indicators to compare with the set of local indicators. This makes it possible to highlight the unique characteristics of each municipality while providing an overall picture.

Tebogo Matlou, International Project Manager at the South African Local Government Association, also showed how the VSR can be drafted in an agile and effective manner, provided that there is proper coordination and engagement of all actors. In South Africa, the VSR was drafted during the process of drafting ten Voluntary Local Reviews. This localization of the SDGs at multiple levels also allowed for the alignment of sustainable development policies at the national level, including with a view to the national Agenda 2063. The key to success in South Africa was the provision of a digital hub for monitoring the SDGs. With a standardized structure, it was possible to draft the various reports simultaneously.

Through this meeting, participants gained further inspiration on the localization of the SDGs. In particular, the dialogue made it clear that agile drafting of the VSR is possible if there is

  • a set of common data to guide local administrations;
  • a supra-municipal organization to coordinate the process;
  • a digital platform to standardize data processing;
  • the political will to represent one’s municipality at the international level.

The meeting was made possible thanks to the willingness of a number of municipalities and associations, which joined forces with the aim of accelerating the implementation of the Voluntary and Subnational Review. By providing access to working models and presentations of results, the intention is to facilitate the process for all those who wish to draw up these sustainability reports.

For further information, please contact Francesco Schapira at francesco.schapira@engagment-global.de.

Expert exchange on the Voluntary Subnational Review

Posted on by erik

During the Connective Cities Dialogue Event on “Sustainability reporting and Voluntary Local Review” that took place last December in Berlin, some participants decided to start a network for the acceleration and implementation of VLR/VSR. The group is composed by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), the Council of Governors of Kenya, the City of Stuttgart, the City of Bonn, the Association of German Cities and Connective Cities.

In order to enrich and enlarge the network, the group organizes a peer-to-peer meeting on the topic Voluntary Subnational Review on May 7 at 3 p.m. (CET). The Voluntary Subnational Review is a reporting tool that allows a countrywide localization of the SDGs from the perspective of municipal administrations. By drawing up the Voluntary Local Review, municipalities provide the basic data for a detailed analysis of the local sustainable development. By aggregating these data, a country obtains a comprehensive and detailed overview of the implementation of the SDGs. Meanwhile, municipal administrations are more represented at a national level and can present a united front with regard to national development policies.

Through the support of Local Government Associations, the creation of the Voluntary Subnational Review can be quick and effective. During the peer-to-peer meeting, representatives from South Africa and Germany will present their recent efforts in the creation of their Voluntary Subnational Reviews. After the presentation, we will open the stage for a broader discussion about the Voluntary Local and Subnational Review.

To attend this meeting, please contact Francesco Schapira francesco.schapira@engagement-global.de