Çankaya: water resilience and inclusive urban regeneration in Bademlidere
Çankaya’s pilot focuses on Bademlidere, a peri-urban area of Ankara where rapid urban transformation, heat, flooding risks and uneven access to infrastructure shape everyday climate vulnerability.
The pilot links nature-based solutions, water resilience and inclusive urban regeneration. Its aim is to support climate adaptation while strengthening local capacity, participation and long-term stewardship.
“Giving everyone an equal chance to benefit from sustainable urban solutions.”
Umut Berker Sevimiş
Climate and justice challenges
Bademlidere faces climate risks connected to heatwaves, pluvial flooding and water management. These risks intersect with social inequalities, irregular urban development and limited access to services in parts of the wider urban area.
For JUST4CARE, the key question is how a changing district can become more climate resilient without leaving behind people with fewer resources, less institutional voice or specific accessibility needs.
What the pilot will do
The pilot will establish an Urban Living Lab in Bademlidere as a space for co-creation and participation. The process will bring together public authorities, civil society, academia and private actors to develop and test a water-resilient district approach.
Possible actions include rainwater harvesting, water management infrastructure, rain-garden or retention-type systems, climate monitoring, and capacity-building for residents to manage and maintain resilience systems over time.
The work also connects to the future development of a Positive Energy District, exploring how climate adaptation, local skills and green employment opportunities can support long-term resilience.
Communities and actors involved
The pilot will engage local residents and groups more exposed to climate risks, including children, young people, women, older people and people with disabilities. The Urban Living Lab is designed to support awareness-raising, training and feedback loops, so that participation can influence the design and monitoring of the pilot.
What JUST4CARE wants to learn here
Çankaya will help JUST4CARE understand how water resilience, inclusive planning and community capacity-building can work together in a rapidly changing urban area. The pilot will also generate lessons on how Urban Living Labs can support just adaptation beyond one neighbourhood.
Related partners: Çankaya Municipality, Bursa Uludağ University, REC, and other consortium partners as BC3, GEA21 or supporting risk assessment, pilot methodology, governance, communication and learning.
More info: https://www.cankaya.bel.tr/
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