Life in the city actually offers people everything they need: Living, working, care, leisure activities, cultural and educational facilities and, last but not least, community. New perspectives are needed to ensure that the city remains liveable in the future in the face of climate change.
Municipalities today face the challenge of gearing their planning towards a future with greater resilience, quality of life and independence. The German Institute of Urban Affairs proposes the establishment of circular principles that can create ecological, economic and social added value.
The Difu magazine 1/2025 states: "What if the economy, environment and society in a city were linked in a circular way? Products are repaired, recycled or offered as a service. Local manufacturing produces spare parts and products exactly when they are needed, while urban agriculture and renewable energies supply the city and region to a large extent."
The buildings of the future will be modular, durable and deconstructable, and the city will become the region's raw material storehouse. Water and waste management will follow regenerative principles. Intelligent platforms enable the sharing of goods. People live and work in green urban districts with local repair, second-hand and sharing services as well as flexible living and working spaces. Numerous studies show that such a circular economy can be a key to solving various current challenges.
Municipalities and their citizens have various opportunities to support the transition to circular thinking and action: Consistent infrastructure planning can establish recycling hubs, promote repair centers and strengthen sharing models. Legal requirements and taxes can have a regulating effect. Municipal economic development can help to promote circular business models, provide impetus, create incentives or initiate collaborations. Circular change starts in people's minds and means that each individual has to change their actions and consumption.
Photo: © Duernsteiner, Pixabay
