The New Leipzig Charter: A Framework for Sustainable Urban Development in Europe

The New Leipzig Charter, formally titled "The New Leipzig Charter - The transformative power of cities for the common good," represents a significant policy framework for sustainable urban development across Europe. Adopted on 30 November 2020 under the German EU Council Presidency, this document builds upon and updates the original Leipzig Charter from 2007, adapting it to address contemporary challenges facing European cities.

Historical Context and Evolution

The original Leipzig Charter on Sustainable European Cities was adopted in 2007 and has since inspired urban policy throughout Europe. While its core message promoting integrated and sustainable urban development remains valid, the rapidly changing global context necessitated an update. The New Leipzig Charter emerged from a two-year evaluation process that involved extensive consultation with stakeholders at national and European levels.

This renewal process included representatives from federal, state and local governments, research institutes, foundations, associations, EU institutions, member states, and various European organisations. The comprehensive dialogue aimed to identify current and future urban development priorities in the context of emerging challenges.

Core Principles and Dimensions

The New Leipzig Charter places the common good at the centre of urban development. It emphasises the "transformative power of cities" as crucial to addressing modern challenges across social, environmental, and economic dimensions. The framework identifies three fundamental dimensions of sustainable urban transformation:

The Just City - Focusing on providing equal opportunities and environmental justice for all citizens regardless of gender, socioeconomic status, age, or origin. This dimension emphasises inclusive urban development that "leaves no one behind" and addresses inequalities within urban spaces.

The Green City - Concentrating on combating global warming and ensuring high environmental quality for air, water, soil, and land use. This dimension also emphasises access to green spaces and recreational areas as essential components of sustainable urban living.

The Productive City - Ensuring job creation while providing a sound financial foundation for sustainable urban development through diversified local economies and supportive environments for innovation.

Key Principles of Urban Governance

To effectively implement these dimensions, the New Leipzig Charter defines five key principles of good urban governance:

1. Urban policy for the common good - Public authorities should act in the interest of public welfare, providing services and infrastructure that benefit all citizens.
2. Integrated approach - Urban policy must be coordinated across spatial, sectoral, and temporal dimensions to ensure coherence and effectiveness.
3. Participation and co-creation - All urban actors and citizens should be involved in urban development processes to incorporate their knowledge and concerns while strengthening local democracy.
4. Multi-level governance - Complex urban challenges require coordination across all levels of governance, from local to global.
5. Place-based approach - Urban strategies and funding instruments should be based on sound analysis of specific local conditions and needs.

Implementation and Spatial Focus

The New Leipzig Charter recognises different spatial scales for implementation:

• The neighbourhood level
• The city as a whole
• The functional urban area or city-region

This multi-scalar approach acknowledges that urban challenges and solutions operate across different spatial dimensions and require coordinated action at various levels.

Current Relevance and Context

The New Leipzig Charter addresses several pressing global challenges affecting European cities:

• Climate change and biodiversity loss
• Migration movements and demographic shifts
• Resource scarcity
• Pandemics (notably COVID-19)
• Rapidly changing economic conditions
• Digital transformation

The document provides a timely framework for urban policy in the context of major European and global initiatives, including:

• The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (particularly SDG 11 on sustainable cities)
• The New Urban Agenda
• The Paris Climate Agreement
• The European Green Deal

The Charter aligns closely with EU Cohesion Policy and provides guidance for programming sustainable urban development initiatives. It also includes an implementation document that guides the next phase of the Urban Agenda for the EU.

Significance for European Cities

The New Leipzig Charter empowers cities to act as key agents of transformation in pursuit of the common good. It recognises that Europe's strength derives from cities that enable healthy, peaceful, and socially and economically vibrant lives for their citizens.

By providing a strategic framework for integrated urban development, the Charter helps cities navigate complex challenges while working toward just, green, and productive urban futures. It also advocates for stronger roles for cities in decision-making at national and EU levels and calls for adequate financial resources to support urban transformation.

The document serves as both a normative guide and a practical tool for cities to develop locally integrated urban policies centred on the common good, while also providing EU member states with a framework for supporting sustainable urban development.

References

1. The New Leipzig Charter - The transformative power of cities for the common good. Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community (Germany). https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/downloads/EN/eu-presidency/gemeinsame-erklaerungen/new-leipzig-charta-2020.pdf
2. What is the New Leipzig Charter? Eurocities. https://eurocities.eu/latest/what-is-the-new-leipzig-charter/
3. Leipzig Charter 2020: "Green City" as an important field of action. BDLA. https://www.bdla.de/en/news/2863-leipzig-charter-2020-green-city-as-an-important-field-of-action
4. The New Leipzig Charter and its Relevance for Cities. EUKN. https://eukn.eu/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2021_PolicyLab_DE-NL_Report-.pdf
5. URBACT warmly welcomes the New Leipzig Charter. URBACT. https://urbact.eu/articles/urbact-warmly-welcomes-new-leipzig-charter
6. New Leipzig Charter - The transformative power of cities for the common good. European Commission. https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/whats-new/newsroom/12-08-2020-new-leipzig-charter-the-transformative-power-of-cities-for-the-common-good_en
7. Leipzig lives the Leipzig Charter. Eurocities. https://eurocities.eu/latest/leipzig-lives-the-leipzig-charter/