Preserving and enhancing public green spaces:

The Urban Demonstrators initiative has been developed in the DeltaCAP* project during 2017-2020, in collaboration with LGED, and is inspired by international experiences that draw upon practical examples from a number of city transformation projects globally and supported by relevant evidence from action research. This initiative comprises a framework and method of working that combines state-of-the-art knowledge from around the world with local communities’ needs, opinions and initiatives. The goal is to accelerate the adoption and large-scale use of urban infrastructure for sustainable and climate-resilient development.

Urban Demonstrators often serve as test beds for cutting-edge ideas and innovative solutions, allowing urban planners and policymakers to assess their feasibility and effectiveness before wider implementation. Urban Demonstrators focuses on four problem areas: water supply, urban drainage, sewerage and solid waste management. Initiatives in these four areas will be created in two municipalities, using a bottom-up approach that integrates to local knowledge, peer-learning and pilots across cities to demonstrate innovative and inclusive urban infrastructure solutions.

“Urban infrastructure is a local matter. However, too much infrastructure planning is organized top-down and lacks local ownership. Urban Demonstrators enables people to take action at a local scale,” says Chris Zevenbergen, Professor of Flood Resilience of Urban Systems at IHE Delft and one of the initiators of the Urban Demonstrators initiative.

The importance of such projects cannot be overstated, especially in the context of addressing the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and specific regional plans, like the Delta Plan 2100 in Bangladesh. By illustrating how sustainable urban development can be achieved in practical terms, Urban Demonstrators serve as catalysts for positive change.

Through collaboration with organizations like IHE Delft, Altec Consultant Ltd, CEGIS and support from Netherlands government financing, Urban Demonstrators can make significant contributions to shaping the urban landscapes of the future.

Our Mission Statement:

Ensuring Innovative and effective methods of flood management. Tackle Climate change related disasters by promoting environmental knowledge. Achieving optimal & integrated usage of land and water resources to develop a well balanced environment in rural & urban areas.