Connective Cities: Newsletter Connective Cities No. 79, 12-2024

NEWSLETTER - Editon No. 79, December 2024

Dear readers,

“Many people have an idea of the goal; they just prefer to reach it leisurely.” – This quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe feels more relevant than ever. Today, climate change sets the pace of necessary transformations, yet globally we remain far from achieving our climate and sustainability goals (SDGs).

Contrary to this trend, a growing community of municipalities and their associations are actively localizing the Agenda 2030 and accelerating progress toward the SDGs.

This edition highlights how the Colombian city of Manizales is engaging its citizens in these efforts. It also showcases a new international network of partners from municipal associations and local governments that has formed to advance local sustainability reporting, giving fresh momentum to the Agenda 2030 while amplifying their voices on national and international levels.

To align our way of life more closely with planetary boundaries and available resources, we continue to support professional exchanges, such as strengthening circular economy practices in construction between Germany and Nepal, advancing renewable energy projects in Tunisia through regional workshops, and optimizing urban heat mitigation projects as part of our Deep Dive process.

Ten years ago, when Connective Cities was started, it was uncertain whether this new approach to international exchange among municipal practitioners would gain acceptance or deliver tangible results. Today, we look back on a robust network of nearly 3,500 professionals in over 700 cities across 100 countries. Numerous project ideas have been developed, working groups have evolved into innovative think tanks, and projects have been successfully implemented. These accomplishments were also recognized during our anniversary celebration by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to all colleagues who have actively supported and accompanied us over the years.

As we reflect on an eventful 2024, we wish everyone a peaceful end of the year and a successful start to the new one. Despite challenges such as wars and natural disasters, we remain committed to working together to make cities worldwide more sustainable and livable.

All the best,
Your Connective Cities Team

10 years Connective Cities

Manizales: Foundation stone laid for the localization of the SDGs

On the occasion of the 10th anniversary, Part VI on the activities and effects of Connective Cities

For the Colombian municipality of Manizales, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are more than just a list of goals for a better future. At Connective Cities events, it received quickly implementable suggestions from international colleagues for the organisation of SDG days and for the establishment of a VLR and learned from the experiences of Bonn-Rhein-Sieg University of Applied Sciences at workshops on citizen labs. Now it is bringing the SDGs into society and people's everyday lives.

Review

From pilot project to real-world laboratory for municipalities

10 years of Connective Cities - a look back at the anniversary celebrations

Many project ideas have been developed and worked out in detail since 2014. Working groups have become think tanks and municipalities have become real-world laboratories for the implementation of innovative projects. Reason enough to celebrate! 65 municipal experts from 15 countries accepted the invitation to the Connective Cities anniversary celebration, which took place on 4 December 2024 on the premises of the Association of German Cities in Berlin.

Action planning for sustainability reporting

Accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda

Since 2015, a growing number of cities, regions and their associations have actively localised the 2030 Agenda in order to bring the SDGs closer to the people. From 2 to 4 December 2024, 38 municipal practitioners from 20 organisations and 15 countries met at the German Association of Cities in Berlin to share their experiences. The event focussed on good practices in reporting and aimed to use the reports to accelerate the implementation of the SDGs at local and regional level.

Experience in the restoration of buildings and the construction of new buildings using existing materials.

Delegations trip to Nepal (Bhaktapur und Banepa)

The exchange between the experts from the City of Munich and the Technical University of Munich and Nepalese experts opened up valuable perspectives on sustainable practices in the construction industry. The delegation trip was not only aimed at knowledge transfer, but also at building partnerships to strengthen the circular economy in the construction industry. Exchange semesters for students were also a topic of discussion.

Projects for the expansion of renewable energies

Review of the regional workshop in Tunis, Tunisia

The workshop successfully promoted joint learning, provided technical expertise and improved the skills of municipal representatives to develop scalable renewable energy projects. With the launch of the UNCDF project, the Gap Fund and financial support from the French Development Agency AFD, the cities now have concrete opportunities to advance their urban energy transition initiatives. And a swimming pool powered by solar energy was also on the programme.

Outlook

Heat in the city – from piloting to project optimisation

Connective Cities Deep Dive workshop and study trip in Aswan, Egypt

At the workshop, participants from Lviv (Ukraine), Lüdenscheid and Heidelberg (Germany), Nairobi and Mombasa (Kenya) and Aswan (Egypt) will present and analyse the results of the implementation of their pilot projects in their respective cities to understand what has worked well and what needs to be improved. This analysis will feed into an optimisation plan through a facilitated process to move from the pilot phase to optimisation.

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