The process of urbanisation generates transformations in the environment - in natural resources (water, air, and soil) as well as in the built environment - human settlements and cities. The process of urbanisation has caused environmental changes and damage, including land use changes, increased demand for water and energy, flood events, increased waste production, environmental pollution, food shortages, and uncontrolled growth among others. However, cities have the capacity to adapt. The cities we live in today are the result of the changes they have undergone over many years. Peru, an upper middle-income country, is no stranger to these processes: By the end of 2019 almost 80% of Peruvians lived in urban areas and cities. To cope with these changes, in addition to the necessary reforms in urban planning and land-use planning by the different levels of government, it is necessary that the public administration has adequate tools to solve current problems and to guarantee the provision of quality services to citizens.

Given this situation, the management of public services in cities needs to apply cross-cutting and integrated approaches. The project departs from the assumption that integration of sectoral issues will be crucial to achieve improved service levels and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030: The German development cooperation, implemented by the GIZ, will implement this technical cooperation project "Climate-friendly public services in selected cities in Peru" (SDL) as a showcase of integrated climate-friendly public service management. The project will help to produce climate-friendly public services which are oriented towards users and with a clear concern for gender issues. This technical cooperation project focuses on climate change mitigation through the sectors of transport-mobility and solid waste management, which are a municipal responsibility. The objective of the project is to strengthen municipal management to become more climate-friendly, citizen-oriented and gender-sensitive in selected cities – and in an integrated manner.  The project will initiate rapid measures in the fields of transport-mobility and solid waste, propose integrated management models, and promote horizontal and vertical exchange of knowledge and experiences between cities and sectoral bodies. The central issue addressed by the SDL project is that municipal management is not sufficiently integrated to be focused on the needs of the citizens. The current situation in the management of the transport-mobility and solid waste sectors reduces the chances of achievement of Peru's climate goals and the objectives of the 2030 Agenda. The SDL project assumes that municipal administrations and political decision-makers can see the advantages of integrated management of urban services and are committed to its implementation.  The focus of the SDL project will be on providing technical assistance at local level and supporting the exchange of successful public service experiences within a learning network. The project mainly targets the population of the selected medium and large cities: especially Arequipa and Trujillo, and additionally Cuzco, Piura, Huamanga and Tumbes (to be confirmed).