Transition thinking and doing

Zwolle is nationally recognized as a frontrunner in climate-adaptive and water-resilient urban development. During the working visit, the focus was on how the city responds to increasing drought, heat, and heavy rainfall, and how water and soil guide spatial decisions. The discussion was not only about policy and vision but mainly about what is already happening in practice and what additional measures are needed.

Bike tour along inspiring projects

Together with the Delta Commissioner, the Province of Overijssel, and the Drents Overijsselse Delta Water Board (WDODelta), the group cycled past several leading projects:

  • De Weezen, where a smart, weather forecast-driven water system ensures retention and delayed discharge of rainwater.
  • Weezenlanden, where water safety and housing construction are combined by incorporating a primary flood defense in the neighborhood design.
  • Stationsplein, featuring a super vortex and water retention in the bicycle basement to protect the city center and Assendorp during extreme showers.
  • De Passerelle, a bio-based wooden footbridge functioning as a raised park that collects water for greenery, even during dry periods.

Alderman Gerdien Rots:
Our location between the IJssel, Vecht, and Zwarte Water rivers brings responsibility. Zwolle shows that climate adaptation is not a future vision but daily practice. By making water and soil leading in our choices, we continuously build a city resilient to extreme weather conditions and pleasant to live in.

Delta Commissioner Co Verdaas: We must prepare for the consequences of climate change. Zwolle already takes the future climate into account in all spatial decisions and takes measures. This makes Zwolle a frontrunner. There is good cooperation with other governments and regional partners. This leads to concrete results that make the city even more beautiful and livable. Zwolle is an inspiration for the whole of the Netherlands!

Deputy Martijn Dadema of the Province of Overijssel:
Climate change requires new ideas that keep our villages and cities safe and pleasant during long periods of drought, heat, and heavy rainfall. Zwolle puts these innovations into practice and thus shows that a new perspective on water offers inspiring and practical solutions, also for other municipalities in Overijssel. We further promote these practical examples in the Zwolle Region through cooperation between water boards, municipalities, and provinces to minimize water nuisance or drying out of our region, the so-called Sponge Strategy.

Challenges require cooperation

The challenges around climate change, water safety, and urban development are complex. Precisely by working together – municipalities, water boards, province, and national government – these challenges can be effectively addressed. Zwolle shows that cooperation leads to concrete solutions in practice.