Co-governance of Brussels rivers for climate adaptation and socio-ecological transitions (BRiCAT)

Urban rivers face severe ecological degradation and disconnection from society; a typical example being Brussels, where rivers were historically buried and heavily artificialized. The 20th-century hydro-centric management paradigm has proven inadequate to address the socio-hydrological complexities of rivers. In response, Brussels has launched a series of stream daylighting and revitalization projects. However, despite efforts to incorporate social dimensions, inclusive river governance with direct public participation remains limited; but it holds strong potential in Brussels, a city known for its vibrant civic culture. Under the supervision of worldwide hydrologist Prof. Ann van Griensven (VUB) and Brussels-based civil-society leader Piotr Sadowski (Volonteurope), BRiCAT addresses Brussels' 3 social challenges by developing interdisciplinary and collaborative governance frameworks for once neglected rivers and canals. By engaging scientists, socio-economic actors, practitioners, and waterfront populations, BRiCAT democratizes water management, build community capacities for socio-ecological transitions and climate-change resilience in Brussels, offering transferable approaches across the EU. Innovative, open-access digital tools for citizen-science data collection and for decision support are co-developed with citizens to empower bottom-up practices and enable policy uptake. Ultimately, BRiCAT fosters an ontological shift toward human–nature coexistence and civil society–led stewardship, promoting transformative pathways for global urban sustainability. It involves 3 interdisciplinary, intersectoral, international secondments—at BeWiSe, the Joint Research Centre (Brussels), and Hong Kong University (China)—and engages with networks of EUTOPIA, OpenLab, EU committee/lab, UNESCO, etc. As coordinator, I will gain trainings in project leadership, civic tech, public and policy engagement, and professional networking. Scientific rigor is ensured by my PhD and 2 postdoctoral projects focused on river governance studies. At VUB, I will contribute through high-quality publications, conference presentations and organization, teaching and supervision, Euro-Asian knowledge exchange. BRiCAT also embeds an equality, diversity, and intersectional perspective through gender, ethics, and my positionality as a minority researcher. It will support my career goal of becoming an independent researcher and EU/UN policy advisor striving to bridge science, policy, and society.