Community education and engagement for Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) projects: Insights from Assam, India

The use of Blue-Green Infrastructure (BGI) for addressing problems of urban flood risk is increasingly being encouraged. However, effective and appropriate implementation of BGI requires local community involvement. This research explores attitudes towards BGI within communities in Guwahati, Assam. A participatory case study method was used to identify the role of community education and engagement in enabling BGI implementation. Through community workshops, physical models and creative media were used to help educate the communities regarding BGI solutions. Feedback and insights into local knowledge were then used to develop community-led BGI solutions. This study provides important evidence of the benefits of understanding diverse stakeholder needs and in utilising a co-creation process that can contribute towards removing potential social barriers and facilitate the design of scientifically informed, locally appropriate solutions to urban flood risk.