The opening ceremony, scheduled for Monday, May 4, at 10 a.m. on the Blue Stage at the Munich exhibition center, will be conducted jointly with the Management Board of Messe München. Confirmed participants include Germany’s Federal Minister for the Environment Carsten Schneider, EU Commissioner Jessika Roswall and Bavaria’s State Minister for the Environment Thorsten Glauber.
By bringing together political decision-makers and industry stakeholders, IFAT Munich 2026 positions environmental technologies as a central instrument for climate protection, resource security and the resilience of critical infrastructure. The trade fair continues to serve as an interface between regulatory frameworks at European, national and regional level and their implementation in operational practice.
Political objectives and regulatory requirements ultimately materialise at municipal level. Cities and municipalities play a decisive role in implementing the circular economy, particularly in areas such as water management, waste treatment and infrastructure planning. At the same time, local authorities are facing increasing challenges. Extreme weather events, water scarcity and the growing strain on existing infrastructure systems are driving demand for resilient and resource-efficient technological solutions. Against this backdrop, IFAT Munich 2026 will place a dedicated focus on municipal applications.
On Thursday, May 7, the trade fair will address these issues under the heading “Day of Resilient Municipalities”. Developed in cooperation with the German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water, the German Association for Water Management and the Association of Municipal Enterprises, the programme is aimed at decision-makers from cities and municipalities. It includes specialist presentations, expert discussions and guided tours designed to showcase practical approaches and implementable solutions.
The overall event programme at IFAT Munich 2026 will concentrate on transferring technological innovations into real-world use. Guided solution tours, live demonstrations and topic-specific presentations will provide insights into current technologies and applications across the environmental technology sector.
