Germany’s national and international commitment
The New Urban Agenda (at an international level) and the New Leipzig Charter (at a German and European level) show how urban development can and should contribute to a liveable environment and which framework conditions are required.
Cities provide basic services, security, healthy living conditions, a conducive environment for economic productivity and employment, while enabling everyone to participate in social and political life. They exhibit green, polycentric, dense and socially mixed structures. At the same time, this vision stands for resilient cities that are climate neutral and adapted to the impacts of climate change. Both integrated urban development and a turnaround in the transport and building sectors are key to achieving this goal. As the places where a large part of the traffic and building activity occurs, rapidly growing cities are crucial for this transformation. Circular economy schemes must be considered and integrated from the very beginning of this transformation process. Digitalisation offers a wide range of opportunities for improving people’s lives in cities through innovative solutions. The use of technology can potentially strengthen interactions between inhabitants and government/administration as well as create the basis for tomorrow’s construction and mobility economies.
In this regard, the German Development Cooperation and the national urban development policy of the German Federal Government support municipalities in Germany and worldwide in achieving their implementation objectives.