TTPod 2.10: Partnerships and Practice Shaping Climate Adaptation and Fair Trade - with Ralf Mützel (Neumarkt Municipality, Germany)

Talking Transformation

For this latest episode of the Talking Transformation Podcast we’ve extended the scope of our most recent conversation with Drakenstein's Executive Director: Planning & Development, Jacqui Samson discussing the collaboration the Drakenstein municipality has with Neumarkt in Germany and the themes and projects that underpin that partnership.

We learn of these approaches and the projects being implemented with Jacqui and Ralf Mützel, who coordinates the activities of the Fairtrade city of Neumarkt in the Office for Sustainability Promotion. I caught up with them both in Neumarkt, within the Bavaria region of Germany where action plans that shape and direct the partnership and infrastructure programmes were being revisited.

The partnership has been running since 2014 and despite the interruption of Covid has delivered on several climate adaption infrastructure and integration initiatives.

One of the themes we discussed in our conversation from August was the contestations and competing priorities within municipalities. Basic service delivery needs such as housing, water, sewerage services outcompete the needs of the environment when funds have to be allocated to projects from a limited budget as they are not necessarily a priority to the public. Yet municipalities are increasingly at the sharp end of the climate change agenda. This episode highlights a number of nature-based solutions and projects that have direct benefits for the communities of Drakenstein and the broader region. It also looks at what can be learnt and implemented to support Fair Trade practices and businesses.

It's clear that the partnership is yielding rewards and supporting innovative approaches and I hope you’ll find something of value and inspiration from this conversation with two of the programme's main players.

Recorded: Friday 16th September 2022