Getting to know the Partners: City of Ghent

Through a series of articles and video’s we will introduce our JUSTGREEN partners. This time we are getting to know the city of Ghent. Read the article underneath and watch the video for the interview with Ghent colleague Joke Charles.

Ghent, a pocket-sized city in Belgium with the buzz, bustle and bravado of a metropolis, is renowned for its stunning medieval architecture and romantic canals. It also boasts a lively cultural scene with numerous festivals, museums and a dynamic university population.

Behind this ancient look is a place that focuses on the future. Driven by its true nature of rebellion and quirkiness, Ghent experiments with innovative policies and looks for cutting-edge solutions to tomorrow’s challenges. Ghentians strongly believe in doing things together. Co-creation and participation have been key to its successful approach over the years. Citizens, organisations, businesses and educational institutions shape its climate-neutral future with initiatives in the fields of circular economy, renewable energy, housing, sustainable mobility, food and greening. In addition to being a joint effort, Ghent’s climate policy is also social and equitable. The City of Ghent wishes to leave no-one behind and make the fight against energy poverty a priority.

Greening the city is something Ghent has been doing for quite a while now. Their first greening policy plan dates back to 2012 and nowadays Ghent works on multiple greening targets through the Green Structure Plan. Examples of successful greening targets are focused on having sufficient green spaces in walking distance of people’s homes, adding at least 20 square meters of green space per house in housing developments, greening school yards and creating new forests and opening private green property to the public throughout the city. These actions have resulted in successfully increasing the number of city parks and green areas.

While making significant improvements in urban greening, the City of Ghent also faces several challenges:

• Today, urban greening efforts do not take into consideration socio-economic data.
• Opportunities to acquire land for new parks in densely populated and lower-income neighbourhoods, are missed due to high competition with housing and other stakeholders. Greening these neighbourhoods is thus not happening as fast as desired.
• Densely populated neighbourhoods also experience nuisances such as littering in parks, which affects their appreciation and usability.
• Additionally, Ghent lacks comprehensive data on park usage, particularly among vulnerable groups. Current participation methods are not effectively inclusive.
• Moreover, climate change impacts, like heat, drought and flooding, are making urban greenery increasingly vulnerable, with old trees collapsing and younger trees struggling to provide adequate shade.

These issues highlight the need for more integrated, inclusive, and resilient urban planning to enhance Ghent's green infrastructure and quality of life for all its residents.

To improve its greening policy, Ghent will focus on integrating physical and social data to develop a more inclusive and socially focused decision-making process. Through JustGreen, Ghent aims to create accessible and inclusive parks and green areas, ensuring that all residents benefit from the city’s Green Structure Plan.