In Mechelen, the drive toward a climate-resilient future is a collaborative
effort involving the city and its citizens. The initiative emphasises extensive
public participation to not only transform the urban infrastructure but
also to shift the residents’ mindset towards sustainability. The approach
includes participatory roadworks, which allow for the separation of
rainwater from wastewater, depaving projects, and the reopening
of old water channels. These efforts are aimed at making the city’s
public domain more adaptable to climate challenges while fostering a
participatory and transparent process. Engagement with the citizens
extends beyond infrastructure, probing into personal practices like
rainwater management, the greening of gardens, and the consideration
of green roofs. To make the process enjoyable and to encourage the
adoption of nature-based solutions, the city organises citizen-centric
activities such as tile gardens and green garlands, along with playful
elements like depaving championships and citizen science projects. This
multi-faceted approach seeks to create a synergy between top-down
and bottom-up efforts, converging towards a collaborative centre where
everyone works together towards a climate-resilient city
