This is particularly evident in its status as a UN city since 1996. 26 UN institutions in Bonn are now implementing the work of the United Nations on the topic of sustainability under the umbrella of "UN Bonn - Shaping a Sustainable Future". The common goal of their efforts is to implement the 2030 Agenda with its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Their work focuses on climate and environmental issues, the protection of biodiversity, voluntary engagement, development cooperation and disaster risk reduction.

It is not only the United Nations organizations that benefit from the establishment of the "UN Campus", which has been built in Bonn's former federal district over the last few decades. A synergy-rich environment has developed there, involving federal ministries and authorities, scientific institutions, commercial enterprises and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

These include German NGOs working in Bonn on sustainability issues in a national and international context, such as the Bonn International Center for Conversion (BICC), which works in crisis areas around the world to convert former military resources for civilian purposes. One of the largest development organizations based in Bonn is the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), which works internationally on behalf of various ministries of the Federal Republic of Germany.

Numerous international NGOs have joined forces in the BINGO network (Bonn International Non-Governmental Organizations Network) and pursue common goals such as the production and certification of goods according to social and ecological criteria or research into renewable energies.

The intensive dialogue between the institutions and organizations has created an extremely fruitful "microclimate" of cooperation. This special working environment makes Bonn one of the central places for developing solutions to the issues facing humanity in the future.

Sustainability is the central theme of the numerous major conferences at which the international community of states negotiates groundbreaking issues such as climate protection, biodiversity and renewable energies in Bonn. These conferences include the regular "Bonn Climate Talks" of the United Nations and the "Global Festival of Action" of the UN Global Campaign for the Sustainable Development Goals. There are also other international conferences such as the "Daring Cities" - an important networking event for cities and regions in the climate crisis. Bonn thus provides important impetus worldwide.

In 2016, the city of Bonn was one of the first municipalities in Germany to adopt a resolution to implement the 2030 Agenda at local level. It then developed its own municipal sustainability strategy in collaboration with local stakeholders, which was adopted in 2019.

Based on the holistic sustainability approach of the 2030 Agenda, Bonn's sustainability strategy applies the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations to six municipal fields of action. This deliberately includes areas that have not yet been explicitly considered in the context of sustainability: Social participation and gender equality. The other topic areas are: Mobility, Climate and Energy; Natural Resources and Environment; Labor and Economy as well as Global Responsibility and One World.

The City of Bonn's sustainability strategy brings together projects, programs and plans in these central fields of action to form an urban agenda for sustainable action. The success of the strategy is due to the high level of civic engagement.

What Bonn's citizens consider to be sensible measures for a climate-neutral Bonn worth living in and what steps they recommend were collected as part of the "Bonn4Future - We for the climate" participatory process. The participatory process, which was initiated by the "Bonn im Wandel" association and supported by the city, was completed in 2023. Bonn City Council then decided by a large majority to examine the 37 climate action plans developed by the committed citizens in the Bonn4Future process for implementation.

With its sustainability strategy, Bonn is one of the pioneering cities in the local implementation of Sustainable Development Goals. The city has already submitted a "Voluntary Local Review" (VLR) on the Sustainable Development Goals twice (2020 and 2022). These reports document developments in the municipal sustainability action areas since Bonn's sustainability strategy was adopted in February 2019.
With its 2020 report, the City of Bonn was one of the first cities in the world to draw up such a report and received a very positive response at international level. With the preparation of the second VLR 2022, the City of Bonn took part in the testing of the "Sustainable Municipality" reporting framework developed by the German Council for Sustainable Development. This presented a new format that combines quantitative indicators and qualitative reporting aspects in sustainability reporting for the first time. Here too, the international response was very positive.

More than 200 cities on all continents are now preparing local implementation reports on the SDGs. They not only shed light on the status of local activities, but also provide important suggestions and examples for other cities on how the SDGs can be implemented at municipal level. Further information and reports:  www.bonn.de/sdg-bericht. (opens in a new tab)

With the climate plan adopted in March 2023, the city of Bonn is following the motto "Think globally - act locally". With the "Climate Plan 2035", the city of Bonn shows how it can succeed in becoming climate-neutral by 2035. For example, the energy supply is to be switched to renewable energy sources and measures are to be developed to adapt to the consequences of climate change.

In 2018, transport accounted for 26.8 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions in the city of Bonn. The mobility transition is therefore another building block of the climate plan. The city of Bonn is making great efforts to make transport in the city more inclusive, more people-friendly and more sustainable. Needs-based and affordable services should enable everyone to participate and reduce noise, air pollutants and improve traffic safety.

The 2021 cycling decision and the 2022 parking strategy in particular are making the mobility transition increasingly visible in the cityscape. Cycling and walking are being strengthened by numerous measures, such as new bicycle parking spaces and the creation of a continuous, safe network of cycle paths and footpaths. With its parking strategy, the city of Bonn is ensuring that, among other things, residents' parking zones reduce parking pressure in the neighborhoods and that freed-up spaces are used for alternative mobility options and green spaces.

The city of Bonn is promoting the use of the potential of solar energy. Whether on the balcony or on the roof, photovoltaics is an important building block for achieving climate protection goals. There are also subsidies for greening buildings and unsealing areas, as well as advice on their ecologically valuable design.

Every year, the City of Bonn also awards funds for projects that contribute to development education work, to strengthening Bonn's project partnerships and to implementing the 2030 Agenda. It is primarily aimed at smaller organizations or initiatives based in Bonn. In terms of content, the funding program is based on the "Future Concept for Bonn as an International Policy Location", which was adopted by the Council in 2014.

Bonn has a large and active sustainability scene at a civic level. The residents of the City of Bonn contribute their own ideas in a wide range of initiatives, associations and parishes and help shape the climate-neutral Bonn of tomorrow. Numerous offices of the Bonn city administration cooperate with actors from civil society, a small selection of which are mentioned here as examples.

The "Bonn Network for Development - Responsibility Justice Future" currently includes 68 associations and organizations that are involved in development policy both locally and internationally. In addition to civil society actors, members include municipal institutions such as the Adult Education Center, the Office for Local Sustainability, the Office for Children, Youth and Family and the Office for International Affairs and Global Sustainability.
The network was founded in August 2011 on the initiative of the City of Bonn and makes an important contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals through a wide range of activities and voluntary work. The focus is on human rights, sustainable business, responsible use of resources and fair trade. The network regularly participates as a partner in projects of the Bonn SDG Days.

The Agenda Office and the Office for Local Sustainability are primarily responsible for coordinating and supporting the wide range of activities, particularly those relating to the "Fair Trade Town" and "Organic City of Bonn". The City of Bonn organizes numerous events such as the "Bonn-Roundly Sustainable" series together with many active participants.

Education for sustainable development has a long tradition in Bonn and many active supporters. Bonn has received several awards from the German UNESCO Commission and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) as an "ESD municipality" and is active in the network of German ESD municipalities. The federal city participated in the United Nations' ESD World Decade from 2005 to 2014 with a wide range of activities.

Bonn is currently very well positioned throughout the state with two certified institutions in the network of 27 ESD regional agencies in North Rhine-Westphalia: The city-run "Haus der Natur" is one of four nature park centers of the ESD regional agency Naturpark Rheinland. In addition, the multi-certified ESD regional agency "Abenteuer lernen" 2023 received the national ESD award in the "Learning locations" category for its inclusive projects.

Sustainability is a top priority in Bonn, as demonstrated by platforms and initiatives at local level in the fields of science and business, which have taken important steps towards implementing the SDGs. For example, the Bonn Alliance for Sustainability Research was founded in 2017. Its aim is to tackle projects in the complex field of sustainable development with pooled expertise and experience. The Alliance established the Bonn Innovation Campus (ICB) as a platform for society as a whole to work towards a sustainable future. Stakeholders from diverse backgrounds are invited to share their perspectives and knowledge and work together on their ideas on sustainability issues.

"Transforming the Economy!" is the motto of the "Nachhaltigkeits-Hub Region Bonn" platform, which has been actively advancing the Bonn economic region towards climate neutrality and the achievement of sustainability goals since summer 2021. The platform was set up following a decision by the City of Bonn Council. Its goals and priorities were developed together with stakeholders from business associations, chambers, universities and companies. The hub supports companies, the self-employed and start-ups in sustainable transformation and offers space for networking and knowledge exchange. Synergies between business and science make it a wide-ranging network that brings together needs and solutions and makes innovative approaches and examples that have already been implemented visible.

The institutional network "Gender@International Bonn" has been committed to successful gender equality and the thematic expansion of Bonn as an international location in this field since 2014. The network is made up of the United Nations in Bonn, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the city of Bonn, together with UN Women Germany, the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and Deutsche Welle. Since its foundation, the network has also been setting international accents for gender equality with its own events and publications.

The Bonn Energy Agency (BEA) answers questions about energy-efficient construction and renovation and provides information about the use of renewable energies and possible funding programs. Established in 2010 as a service point for citizens, it has been supplemented by the Bonner Energie Agentur e.V. association since 2012. This is where local expertise in building, renovation and urban planning comes together in cooperation with professional associations, the consumer advice center and the city of Bonn. The members of the association are united by the goal of improving climate protection at a local level. The focus is on initiating and supporting measures and activities in the areas of energy-saving construction and renovation. The BEA connects experts, organizes events such as the "Bonn Energy Days" and advises builders, tenants and homeowners on sustainable construction measures.