Role of German municipalities in delivering SDG 11 in focus for HLPF 2026

Roundtable shows how integrated strategies on water, energy, infrastructure and partnerships strengthen SDG 11.

What role do German cities and municipalities play in implementing SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and relevant cross-cutting SDGs – and what does this mean for Germany’s contribution to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) 2026? These questions were addressed at the SDSN Germany roundtable in Berlin on 21 November 2025. Experts from local government, academia, civil society, federal politics and practice networks discussed good practices and challenges for implementing the 2030 Agenda, and SDG 11 in particular, in German cities and municipalities.

The results of the roundtable were compiled in an event report (available in German). Key findings include:

• Cities and municipalities have a direct influence on mobility, infrastructure, energy supply, social participation and environmental quality. Sustainability in Germany cannot be achieved through metropolitan areas alone, but above all through medium-sized and smaller municipalities.

• SDG 11 must not be viewed in isolation. A closer connection with the focus SDGs of the HLPF 2026 is crucial: SDG 6 (water), SDG 7 (energy), SDG 9 (infrastructure) and SDG 17 (partnerships). Integrated strategies that combine energy, water, transport and heating planning, as well as cross-departmental and cross-administrative cooperation, are particularly important.

• Important levers include Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs), municipal sustainability advisory councils, real-world laboratories and living labs. Many municipalities – e.g. Mannheim or the district of Oldenburg – use VLRs to define target systems, link budgets to sustainability goals and make progress transparent. At the same time, there are hurdles: limited resources, complex responsibilities, data gaps and conflicting goals between land use, housing development, environmental protection and climate protection.

Further roundtables on SDGs 6, 7 and 9 are planned for 2026 to deepen the discussion and incorporate different stakeholder perspectives.