Examples of municipal activities Voluntary Local Government Review 2025 (Deutsches Institut für Urbanistik)

Seen as a whole, it is clear that municipalities are pursuing very different approaches, priorities and methods for sustainable development in order to meet individual (structural) requirements at the local level and develop their own distinctive profiles. In this regard, a wide range of sustainable development issues within municipalities’ spheres of influence can serve as a catalyst for a sustainable society, including measures ranging from social participation and sustainable management to recycling and marine protection. To manage this complexity, larger towns and cities are increasingly using digital reporting tools, such as interactive dashboards, to showcase their commitment at major sustainability events. Smaller municipalities, on the other hand, often try to implement direct citizen participation and local projects.

Nevertheless, despite the wide variety of implementation concepts and measures, there are also some common features. For instance, all municipalities have adopted a formal resolution confirming their commitment to sustainability, managing it strategically through sustainability strategies and/or reports. Thematically, most municipalities share a common focus on climate action, with ambitious climate neutrality targets and corresponding implementation measures. These include the use of renewable energies, sustainable mobility and energy-efficient construction, all of which contribute to sustainable development in many areas. The principle of “thinking globally, acting locally” is also evident in fair trade and global partnerships. Many cities, counties and towns are committed to fair procurement and maintain decentralized development cooperation. All these measures rely on broad participation processes coordinated by sustainability councils or steering groups in the administrations.