Municipalities can combine support instruments

3.3 kilometres of river, plus a total of 48 hectares of land – this is the contiguous area covered by a total of three joint projects between the German municipality of Neumarkt in der Oberpfalz, and Drakenstein Municipality in South Africa. The two municipalities also have other projects elsewhere. What all the projects have in common is that they include social aspects of sustainable development, and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. 'And they do so on different levels. The projects address the problems that the impacts of climate change bring specifically to our community', says Cindy Winter, who works in the Environmental Management section in Drakenstein. These projects are supported through instruments of Engagement Global's Service Agency Communities in One World. The Service Agency delivers these instruments on behalf of Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which provides the funding. In one case the Service Agency also does this together with the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH.

During their seven years of cooperation, the two partner municipalities have been able to use around 700,000 euros in funding for their joint activities. 'The climate park in the arboretum is the largest project to date', says Neumarkt's Mayor Thomas Thumann. Looking ahead to spring 2022, he adds: 'And I'm already looking forward to celebrating the opening together with our partners.'

The so-called Paarl Arboretum is a large green space in Drakenstein, dotted with old trees and bordered to the west by the Berg River. Under the Programme to Support Municipal Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Projects (FKKP), since 2019 the space has been undergoing a transformation: more trees are being planted, an education centre is being built, and paths are being laid out. The green classroom is an unusual teaching space that uses rainwater retention and solar panels, offering an alternative to other schools in the area. On signposted trails, visitors learn about the history of the park and about climate-friendly and sustainable development. People of all ages can thus spend time relaxing in the arboretum, which covers 44 hectares, and learn about climate change and climate protection in a variety of ways.

'The park has also been greatly improved by making visitors feel safer', says Ralf Mützel, Head of the Sustainability Office in Neumarkt. The newly built entrance and exit gates make surveillance of the area easier than before, and security services conduct regular patrols. As Ralf Mützel puts it: 'Especially in times of Corona, we have noticed that the new image works, and that more families are now using the park, which is already about 100 years old.'

The banks of the adjacent Berg River, which runs through Drakenstein as it flows towards South Africa's Atlantic coast, were the scene of extensive 'renaturing' work from 2017 to 2019. Along a stretch of 1.3 kilometres, invasive alien plants such as eucalyptus were first of cleared. This so-called 'alien clearing' operation was designed to restore the balance of the natural ecosystem. In the next step, the helpers planted site-appropriate bushes and trees. These need far less water than their predecessors. In dry summers this is key to preserving the entire flora and fauna along this stretch of the river, and securing the water supply for the population. For in the Western Cape, climate change is increasingly causing droughts in the summer months.

This reintroduction of natural vegetation was realised through the Partnership Projects for Sustainable Local Development (Nakopa) programme. A large part of the budget went into creating temporary jobs, and the necessary training for local residents who were seeking employment. 'The high unemployment rate in South Africa makes short-term employment of this kind very important: this way, people can not only earn money, but also gain further training and thus better opportunities on the labour market', explains Ralf Mützel.

The area covered by the third project is also located on the Berg River, or to be more precise surrounds it. It adjoins the northern end of the Arboretum Climate Park and covers four hectares of land across a stretch of two river kilometres. 'We are lucky that the three projects along the Berg River are contiguous, yet clearly distinguishable from each other in terms of content', says Cindy Winter, explaining how this enabled the partners to use several support instruments. 'This allows us to gradually expand the area and ensure that the results complement each other,' says Ms Winter.

In contrast to the first renaturing project, this second Nakopa project focuses on working together with property owners along the Berg River, and thus combining private and public efforts for the river ecosystem. From early 2021 onwards, this will enable the partners to restore a larger area around the river. Furthermore, public awareness of the importance of the Berg River as Drakenstein's lifeline will be further raised. 'We used the first Nakopa project as a small-scale laboratory, so to speak', says Ralf Mützel. He adds: 'Using the experience we have gained, we can take this project to a larger scale and, as we shift the focus, adapt it even better to our partners’ needs.'

There are plans to also create a footpath along the river, linking the area of this project with that of the first and the climate park. 'As they walk along the footpath, walkers will get to know the projects in context', explains Cindy Winter. A so-called rehabilitation garden next to the path offers space to relax – for employees of companies along the river and for anyone else seeking recreation. School groups are also welcome to use the project area together with their teachers as a place of education for sustainable development (ESD).

The partners from Drakenstein and Neumarkt already possess experience with ESD: Supported by the Small-Scale Projects Fund (KPF), in 2017 they realised a mobile learning trail for youngsters aged between 13 and 16. This climate trail was set up three times: once for use at the One World Contact Point in Neumarkt, and twice for lending to schools and non-governmental organisations – once in the Nuremberg Metropolitan Region and once in Drakenstein.

'The educational concept for learning in the green classroom of the arboretum park is based on this climate trail', says Ralf Mützel. Along the trail, the youngsters work on various topics related to climate change and climate protection. Jigsaws, toy windmills, word cards, solar-powered model cars and many other materials are available for this. At one of the 30 learning stations, users of the trail can also discover the climate partnership between Neumarkt and Drakenstein.

The climate partnership between Neumarkt and Drakenstein has linked the two municipalities since 2014. It has long since evolved into a partnership for sustainability. In addition to the joint projects, the partners benefit e.g. from peer-to-peer dialogue on various sustainability topics. At joint meetings – both online and on site in both municipalities – waste management is just as much a topic of discussion as the 2030 Agenda with its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Moving forward together is also the idea behind the forthcoming assignment of a development worker to Drakenstein from August 2021. Under the support instrument Experts for Municipal Partnerships Worldwide (FKPW), the assigned expert will facilitate the formulation and implementation of resource efficiency measures in Drakenstein, in close cooperation with Neumarkt. These will aim to make Drakenstein more resilient to climate change.

'Through the FKPW programme, a development worker can support our municipality for two years in networking with the right people and organisations and working with them towards our goal', says Cindy Winter. With the help of the development worker, the administration in Drakenstein intends to mainstream the issue of sustainability more systematically across its own structures, and save energy and water in its own properties, for instance. Ralf Mützel says: 'Thanks to FKPW we have the opportunity to communicate even more effectively with our partners, and coordinate the organisation of our work so that we can build further links between individual projects.'

Linking projects organisationally and spatially can simplify many things and make the project results sustainable in the long term. 'In our case, this is a huge gain', Ralf Mützel is pleased to say. He says: 'The funding agency BMZ also wants the funds to be used in this way – thoughtfully, in a way that exploits synergies: The outflow is visible, sustainable and multifaceted.'

All of this is based on the trust that has grown over the years. 'We know that our partners are reliable and that implementing the projects makes a big difference on the ground', says Ralf Mützel. The fact that a large part of the funding goes to Drakenstein does not mean that only the partners 'get something out of it'. Public relations, marketing, the involvement of the public and changes in awareness play a major role on both sides. 'We can learn a lot from Drakenstein', says Ralf Mützel. The example he gives: 'When I look at our partners' plans for the green classroom in the arboretum park, I think: such a place of learning would also do us good in Neumarkt.'