Gent aims to realise more green spaces in response to climate change and actively seeks citizen participation to achieve this. This is in line with the city being very social and creative, with many citizens actively developing bottom-up initiatives.
Therefore, the city of Gent launched a crowdfunding platform in 2015 to stimulate bottom-up projects with a societal benefit for their city, including urban greening initiatives. A dedicated website (crowdfunding.gent) can be used by citizens to initiate and share their ideas and generate funding.
The Gent crowdfunding platform supports climate adaptation through urban greening by enabling citizens to fund and propose projects that enhance green spaces. Key initiatives include urban agriculture, rooftop gardens, and edible streets. The platform promotes community engagement, allowing small-scale, citizen-driven projects to flourish. These projects not only improve the local environment but also foster social cohesion and resilience against climate change. This innovative approach leverages local investment and community spirit to create sustainable urban spaces.
More information:
Climate ADAPT: Case Studies (2023): Ghent crowdfunding platform realising climate change adaptation through urban greening, Belgium with in-depth with information on the following topics: Challenges, objectives, adaptation options implemented in this case, solutions, importance and relevance of adaptation, stakeholder involvement, success factors and .barriers, costs and benefits, legal aspects, implementation time, life time.
INTERLACE HUB _ Crowdfunding for urban greening – Ghent (Belgium) with information on governance, financing, monitoring, evaluation and impacts.
