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Illustration: klimpa.com

The illustration shows a scene from the animated film “Stream bed stories”. It depicts a lively stream teeming with animals and plants in the water and along the banks.

“Stream bed stories – near-natural watercourse development in Dresden” is the title of an animated film produced as part of the EU ReBioClim project. In it, Egon the fish explains why the restoration of streams and rivers in densely populated urban areas is important and what benefits it brings for biodiversity, climate adaptation and quality of life.

Source: Stadtklimadashboard/BBSR

Map detail showing Dresden and the surrounding area, with green and reddish areas.

How well are cities prepared for heat, drought, and heavy rainfall? As part of the project “Urban Climate Dashboard – Field Testing of Indicators for Urban Climate Adaptation,” the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER), in collaboration with partners, has developed a web application for the Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development, and Construction (BMWSB) and the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs, and Spatial Development (BBSR). The Urban Climate Dashboard provides key indicators for climate adaptation in German cities in a…

Photo: P. Pradhan

The picture shows wooden and plastic planters of various sizes, in which different vegetables and herbs are growing.

A new study, conducted by researchers from the Netherlands and Germany, estimates that urban agriculture in European cities could produce up to 20 million tons of vegetables annually, representing roughly one-third of the region’s current vegetable production. The study, published in Sustainable Cities and Society, systematically analyses the potential of urban agriculture for 840 cities across 30 European countries.

Illustration: N. Bongaerts, G. Tang/IOER Media

Illustration of geodata and sustainable urban development with maps, data visualisation, people, and the built environment.

Laser scan data, terrain models, land registers, land-use data – the academic, business and public sectors collect and compile data on a massive scale. And make it openly available. But how can the available data be used to generate added value for society and science – and not just by experts? The current spring series of the IOER Forum explores this question under the heading “Geodata – making it usable and accessible. Unlocking the potential for sustainable change”.

Photo: H. Hensel/IOER Media

Three piles of brochures from the TRUST project are lying on a table.

How can the transition to a climate-neutral city be achieved, and what role do knowledge-sharing and collaboration between numerous stakeholders from various sectors of urban society play in this process? For four years, the TRUST project has been addressing this question in the city of Görlitz. Under the leadership of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Transformative Urban Regeneration (IZS), people from Görlitz worked closely together on the project to make the city fit for the future. The experiences gained have been documented in various publications. These are intended to help everyone…

Photo: Kabiur Rahman Riyad on Unsplash

A truck drives from right to left on a bridge, with greenery in the foreground and the sun in an orange sky in the background.

With “NEXtra – Resource Nexus for Sustainability Transformations”, the IOER, together with the United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources (UNU-FLORES) and the TUD Dresden University of Technology, is offering a scholarship programme for doctoral students. The programme is funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as part of the EPOS (Development-Related Postgraduate Courses) programme. The programme is aimed at interested persons from the Global South. The deadline for applications has passed.

Photo: The Climate Reality Project on Unsplash

Several people are sitting in a row. The person at the front is holding a pen and taking notes.

For the second time, the Leibniz Research Network Central and Eastern Europe is offering media professionals the opportunity to apply for a scholarship programme.

Photo: S. Bandyopadhyay

Barjor Mehta, president of CEPT University, and Mathias Jehling from the IOER look into the camera as they shake hands and present the signed memorandum of understanding.

By signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER) is strengthening its strategic partnership with CEPT University in Ahmedabad, India. The collaboration in research, academic education and knowledge transfer focuses primarily on joint activities addressing issues relating to the transformative change of cities and regions.

Illustration: N. Bongaerts/IOER Media

An illustration (drawing) related to the conference theme. It consists of various small pictograms.

The fourth IOER Conference “Space & Transformation” with an international Summer School included will take place from 22 to 24 September 2026. It will focus on the relationship between digitalisation and transformative governance in research, policy, and practice. What potential, but also what conflicts, do these two trends hold for the transformative change of cities and regions towards sustainability? Registration will open at the end of May.

Map: A. Dunkel/U. Schinke, IOER 2025

Part of a detailed map of Germany on a white background. Millions of blue and red dots indicate social media activity by locals and tourists respectively.

Who uses the space – and how is this communicated digitally? A new analysis by the IOER, developed in close collaboration with Prof. Catrin Schmidt from the Institute of Landscape Architecture at TUD Dresden University of Technology, visualises over 66 million public social media posts from 15 years. The result is a high-resolution map of Germany that shows where locals relax and which destinations tourists like to visit. The map was published in the December issue of “Naturschutz und Landschaftsplanung” (Nature Conservation and Landscape Planning). The underlying anonymised data is made…

The Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development is jointly funded by the federal government and the federal states.

FS Sachsen

This measure is co-financed by tax funds on the basis of the budget approved by the Saxon State Parliament.