Climate Campus: climate-proof IJssel-Vecht delta

No climate adaptation without collaboration. This project aims to develop, field-test, and implement an innovative collaboration model encompassing government bodies, education establishments, research institutes, entrepreneurs, NGOs, and citizen initiatives. The project utilises the Climate Campus network.

Project objective

The collaboration model is intended to foster:

  • A climate-proof delta (expediting the implementation of measures);
  • An economically strong delta (new products and services, a healthy labour market);
  • An assertive delta (water awareness, culture).

Implementation

Multiple activities are being undertaken to achieve the goals, such as:

  • Organising network meetings and knowledge sessions;
  • Developing and disseminating best practices;
  • Boosting and facilitating neighbourhood initiatives and “citizen science”: involving residents and users;
  • Developing a “show garden” in which entrepreneurs present (new) products and services to residents and vice versa;
  • Setting up a climate adaptation monitoring strategy;
  • Setting up a marketing strategy for the Zwolle region as the delta of the future.

In the magazine Working Together on the Neighbourhood of Tomorrow by the Regional Lab Neighbourhood of Tomorrow, you can read more about the challenges and the approach in the area.

Results

  • Regiolab Wijk van Morgen puts the lessons learned by Zwolle within the LIFE IP project into practice. In this programme, insights into collaboration and organisation are translated into concrete actions at neighbourhood level. This connection with practice can also be seen in the Inspiration Garden at the Makersfabriek. The Municipality of Zwolle created this garden with support from LIFE IP Climate Adaptation. Visitors and residents can see what a climate adaptive living environment looks like in practice. The garden showcases various solutions, ranging from water retention and greening to enhancing biodiversity.
  • With support from LIFE-IP Climate Adaptation, the municipality of Zwolle has prepared the advisory report ‘Improved governance model’ (pdf, 1.8 MB). This report includes recommendations to secure and strengthen the network collaboration of Climate Campus. It also supports strategic and organisational decision-making and helps to make the impact of Climate Campus visible.
  • In addition, with funding from LIFE-IP Climate Adaptation, a report with factsheets (pdf, 2 MB) has been produced. It shares lessons from the 14 practical projects carried out between 2021 and 2025. Key lessons:
    • Without ownership, resources and momentum among one or more partners, no alliances will be formed. Do not start with an issue or task, but with the role of partners: what values can they contribute and gain, and where is the common ground?
    • Social transitions do not lend themselves to a linear approach or SMART formulated goals. After all, goals, means and processes are connected, as are target groups, beneficiaries and stakeholders. Social innovation requires a “reverse” approach from the heart, where different motivations and tasks come together.
    • There is no single story, and no single way to tell it. To understand what appeals to residents, both in terms of the stories themselves and how they are shared, it is important to involve the target groups more closely. This includes residents as well as entrepreneurs.