Urban areas are at the forefront in addressing global challenges such as climate change and biodiversity loss. Among the key responses are nature-based solutions, which are increasingly being integrated into policy frameworks but which require strong community engagement for their effective implementation. This paper presents the findings of surveys conducted within the Place Lab in Katowice, Poland, an initiative developed as part of an international project and used as a participatory tool for co-creating and implementing green infrastructure. The project applies both place-based and people-centred approaches to support European cities in their transition towards regenerative urbanism. Place Lab activities encourage collaboration between local authorities and residents, enhancing awareness and fostering participation in environmental initiatives. The survey data collected during the project allowed for the evaluation of changes in public attitudes and levels of engagement and for the identification of broader societal phenomena that may influence the implementation of nature-based solutions. The findings revealed, for instance, that more women were interested in supporting the project, that residents tended to be sceptical of governmental actions on climate change, and that views were divided on the trade-off between urban infrastructure such as parking and roads and the presence of green areas. Furthermore, questions of responsibility, awareness, and long-term commitment were frequently raised. Building on the survey results and the existing literature, the study proposes a set of indicators to assess the contribution of citizen participation to the adoption of nature-based solutions. While the effectiveness of nature-based solutions in mitigating climate change impacts can be assessed relatively directly, evaluating civic engagement is more complex. Nevertheless, when conducted transparently and interpreted by experts, indicator-based assessment can offer valuable insights. This study introduces a novel perspective by considering not only drivers of engagement but also the obstacles. The proposed indicators provide a foundation for evaluating community readiness and commitment to nature-based approaches and may be adapted for application in other urban settings and in future research on climate resilience strategies.

The aim of this study is to present a methodology for diagnosing cities in terms of hydrological and meteorological threats, with the goal of improving water management and helping cities adapt to changing conditions. Urbanisation is expected to progress unevenly across countries and cities, influenced by factors such as climatic conditions, economic disparities, and governance structures. Consequently, urban landscapes should strive for a balanced approach that integrates safety and risk management, commercial spaces, emotional well-being, and the promotion of biodiversity. Cities play a pivotal role in addressing climate change, as they account for a significant share of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. In Poland, numerous national and international projects are being implemented to help cities mitigate the impacts of climate change. Among these, the City with Climate project aimed to enhance residents’ quality of life while facilitating a pro-climate transition for cities. A holistic and multifaceted approach was adopted, incorporating the analysis of historical flood events based on archival documents and rescue service reports, detailed GIS data such as soil sealing, non-drained basins, NDVI, NDBI, and a multi-criteria analysis targeting hydrological and water management factors to develop effective solutions for urban retention challenges. The main findings indicate that: (1) combining insightful analyses using well-established methods provides a robust foundation for informed decision-making by city authorities; (2) overlaying information layers, such as local flooding interventions, non-drained areas, drainage networks, and soil sealing, helps identify areas requiring large-scale, technical, or nature-based solutions; and (3) regardless of city size, there is a concerning trend of increasing impervious surfaces replacing green areas, alongside urban sprawl altering land use in flood-prone regions, including mountainous, forested, and floodplain areas that should be protected. These findings illustrate that employing a structured project methodology alongside a comprehensive approach can significantly contribute to urban landscape planning, addressing the challenges of climate change while enhancing urban biodiversity through blue and green infrastructure.

Climate change adaptation requires governance approaches that actively engage citizens in developing resilient urban environments. However, public participation in adaptation planning often remains limited to consultation, with little influence on decision-making. This paper examines how participatory processes can evolve into genuine co-creation and identifies which participatory methods are most effective for urban resilience co-creation. The study aims to identify the key success factors for effective citizen engagement in climate change adaptation based on the results of implementing ecosystem- and community-based adaptation concept. A qualitative case study in Sosnowiec, helping city authorities design effective climate change policies, was conducted in the framework of Urban Living Lab established within the CICADA4CE project. The participatory process involved different stakeholder groups from the quadruple helix, with a particular focus on contributions from young and senior citizens. The paper proposes a citizen co-creation framework that conceptualises participation as a continuous, competence-driven process, emphasising sustained capacity-building as a prerequisite for meaningful civic engagement. Drawing on empirical evidence from Sosnowiec as a post-industrial city in Central and Eastern Europe, the paper contributes to the literature on participatory climate governance by demonstrating the potential of citizen co-creation to strengthen locally grounded climate adaptation in medium-sized cities.