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Event, 05/21/2026

Is the housing of tomorrow in line with the SDGs of today?

Municipalities don’t just manage housing markets - they shape them. This session will show what works and what doesn’t: effective municipal tools, persistent structural constraints, and what SDG localisation actually can deliver beyond rhetoric. read more

News, 04/08/2026

Local strategies required for handling data centres

The rapid increase in data centres requires an examination of the regional economic effects, energy needs and space management. Municipalities should help shape development at an early stage. read more

News, 12/12/2025

New visions of the future instead of constant crisis rhetoric

When political discussions are overshadowed by laments about a crisis, there is less room for shaping the future. What is needed is a redefinition of our narratives – and a vision of the city of 2035 that provides courage, guidance and priorities. read more

News, 09/22/2025

Against the silent danger: Heat protection – a task for us all

Germany is experiencing increasingly frequent and prolonged heatwaves: the early summer of 2025 began with temperatures reaching 40 degrees and two heatwaves, making June 2025 the hottest June ever recorded in western Europe. read more

News, 09/01/2025

OB-Barometer: Finances are the dominant issue for cities

Difu’s annual survey shows that finances are becoming considerably more significant as an issue. Housing, accommodating/integrating refugees and climate change mitigation were ranked much lower. Democratic scepticism and right-wing populism were identified as pressing issues for the first time. read more

News, 08/06/2025

Public transport – what will the new legislative period bring?

Safeguarding achievements, implementing the coalition agreement – and thinking ahead at the same time: to make public transport fit for the future, we must maintain and expand services while finding viable financing solutions. read more

News, 04/29/2025

The city as a raw materials store – Why cities should act circularly

The circular city is not a utopia, but the future of urban living. Municipalities can and should set the course now – for greater resilience, quality of life and independence. Circular principles create ecological, economic and social added value. read more

News, 12/16/2024

The digital provision of public utilities & services is a shared task

Without access to digital services, it is difficult to organise many necessary tasks. The digital provision of public utilities and services is therefore a basic service for which the responsibilities of the federal government, federal states and municipalities need to be clarified. read more

News, 09/19/2024

Climate Adaptation Act – Everything can, little must

For the first time, Germany’s Federal Climate Adaptation Act (KAnG) provides a nationwide legal framework for adapting to climate change. It is now in the hands of the regional federal states as to whether this will lead to the municipalities being able to prepare for climate change in good time. read more

News, 06/05/2024

Without housing provision: essential basis for integration is missing

A long-term and independent perspective for housing, which ensures privacy and security, is an important requirement for integration. When they have strong and motivated partners municipalities can make a contribution to solving this issue. read more

News, 03/27/2024

Standstill instead of necessary modernisation of the Traffic Act

The reform of the German Road Traffic Act [Straßenverkehrsgesetz] has been put on ice, meaning the municipalities’ scope to implement future-orientated measures for the necessary transport transition has been blocked. read more

News, 05/24/2023

Deploying artificial intelligence is attractive for municipalities

Recent months have been dominated by the debates around the possible risks and loss of control caused by the rapid further development of artificial intelligence. At the same time, the potential is huge as is already shown today by its increasing deployment in the municipalities. read more