Cities worldwide must find ways to secure their energy supplies, reduce dependencies and make the transition to renewable energy sources while facing price fluctuation due to unstable circumstances and multiple global crises.
In addition to wind, water, and solar energy as renewable sources of primary energy, green hydrogen has been attracting growing attention as a carrier of clean energy. Already, there are several large-scale projects to produce green hydrogen under way. It is therefore a crucial time for cities and municipalities to jointly develop their standpoint and bring in their needs and ideas.
The German government has already established bilateral energy partnerships with a range of countries worldwide. The goal is to promote cooperation in the field of sustainable energy which provides opportunities for multiple benefits on all sides: new trade relationships, improved energy autarky and a contribution to sustainable energy transitions. However, this cooperation needs to extend to the municipal level as well. Cities are not only the key players when it comes to meeting the climate agenda, but also intermediaries between the national and the local level. And in this regard municipalities can use their leverage to be a part of sustainable energy projects and make use of opportunities for sustainable urban development, economic development, private sector involvement, and resilient energy networks.
To address these issues and work on strategies for cities and municipalities to start taking a stronger role and express their demands with regards to international energy partnerships, Connective Cities is starting a series of events, which will result in a joint working group of municipalities. In this group, cities will work on project and strategies on how to profit from new and innovative energy systems and how to prepare to use the new potentials for making affordable, green energy available to their citizens. In addition, municipalities should adapt strategies, which allow them to benefit fast and efficient from the new potentials by setting up the right framework for example for new investments, dynamic economic development technological upgrading and job creation.
To start this joint process, Connective Cities will begin with conducting a round table in Kenya in April, bringing together essential public and private stakeholder for a first exchange. Our partners, the Gap Fund and the Covenant of Mayors in Sub-Saharan Africa (CoMSSA), will offer valuable insights on the key questions that the participating cities should explore during their project preparation efforts. They will provide guidance on potential areas to focus on and suggest strategies to ensure that the projects are well-prepared and can attract financing.
If you have any questions about this process, please do not hesitate to contact us:
Jelena Karamatijevic ( jelena.karamatijevic(at)giz.de ).