Stuttgart is the birthplace of Mercedes-Benz and a beautiful city surrounded by picturesque hills and vineyards. Being a fascinating blend of modern and medieval, this buzzing German city provides excellent work opportunities to its residents but also draws a significant number of tourists every year. The capital of Baden-Württemberg is led by the mayor Frank Nopper who is investing a lot of work to make sure Stuttgart remains an attractive place with a high quality of living. Mayor Nopper is a committed city leader who is trying to tackle some of the most important issues Stuttgart, like many other cities in Germany and Europe, is faced with. His mission is to attract new firms to Stuttgart while also assisting existing businesses in growing and maintaining their operations. With innovations and fresh projects, Stuttgart is looking to become a role model for other German and European cities in this regard. At the same time, thanks to the fascinating efforts of mayor Nopper, Stuttgart has also earned the reputation of one of Germany’s greenest cities which puts a large emphasis on environment and climate protection. Nopper attended Tübingen University and the German University of Administrative Sciences in Speyerand, and has a doctorate in financial constitutional law under his belt. He pays significant attention to projects dedicated to innovations and digitalization. In the Innovation Cities™ Index 2021, Stuttgart was ranked among 30 most innovative cities in Europe. Stuttgart has traditionally been the automotive industry’s key location in Germany. Recently, a number of other important industries have emerged in this German city, which all contribute to Stuttgart’s further development as one of leading tech hubs in Germany. Stuttgart is situated on good agricultural terrain, with numerous fields and plenty of greenery and trees in general. It is therefore no surprise that this German city has also grown to be one of the frontrunners when it comes to climate protection. This city has set some of the most ambitious climate goals. Stuttgart plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 65 percent until 2030, and 96 percent by 2050, using 1990 as a baseline. With a focus on mobility, energy and climate-friendly urban policies, Stuttgart has truly become a role model for other European cities looking to contribute to a greener and more sustainable future. In December 2021, Stuttgart joined forces with a management consulting firm McKinsey & Company in order to develop a practice‐oriented and ambitious roadmap for climate neutrality. By 2050, Stuttgart aims to be a city that relies largely on renewable energy, in which electric mobility, walking and cycling take central place, and where most houses are able to produce more energy than they consume. Thanks to mayor Nopper’s excellent leadership, the city has a very good shot at achieving these goals and becoming a prime example of a new generation of climate-friendly cities. (photo credit: wikimedia)