Cultivating a Sense of Ownership over Climate Change Adaptation Through the Expansion Process of Local Community Activities Stimulated by Urban River Restoration in Okazaki City, Japan

Yuta Itsumi ^1* Takeyoshi Chibana ² Satoshi Watanabe ¹

• ¹ Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan
• ² National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, Tokyo, Japan

This study examined the potential value of urban river restoration initiatives in contributing to climate change adaptation, focusing on the case of Okazaki City, Japan. The process of activity expansion from 2015 was analyzed, with particular emphasis on the perceptions and the recognition of the involved participants in the urban river restoration project. The research employed a qualitative approach, analyzing local documents and interviewing ten key volunteers of ONE RIVER, a local citizens' group. The case study demonstrated that the local activities commenced with the restoration of urban rivers and subsequently expanded to encompass community-based climate change adaptation. Additionally, it was observed that a sense of ownership over climate change adaptation was cultivated through local activities stimulated by urban river restoration. The volunteer members of ONE RIVER first recognized the natural appeal of the diverse river ecosystem services. Secondly, they perceived a hidden connection between the river environment and one's own life. Our findings indicated that urban river restoration would benefit community-engaged climate change adaptation by making it accessible to dynamic natural processes, enhancing participants' awareness of the multifaceted river ecosystem services, and cultivating their sense of ownership. The case study also suggested that considering sociocultural differences, particularly the situation of government-community relationships, is crucial for evaluating the benefits of urban river restoration.