Visionaries Wanted: The Role of Creativity in Climate Survival

Using creativity and design to turn climate challenges into opportunities for thriving deltas

If you have children in your life, you probably have experienced this. You join them while they are building something with blocks and Magna-Tiles, and you are surprised at how their brains think. 

You might be building a house, a city, a bridge, or a rocket. In our adult brains, we go back to what we know already exists and works, but the child has a different idea. 

At first, you let them explore and try thinking, “Well, it will be a good physics lesson when all crumbles.” And while this is the case quite often, from time to time they surprise you with a structure or solution that you would have never thought could work. 

While we can’t do these types of experiments in real life, maybe some imaginative and innovative solutions to modern-world problems could be found. 

What would happen if we encouraged teams to imagine big and experiment with model solutions that some would think wouldn’t work simply because they are too “unconventional”?

Well, a recent study thought exactly about this, offering many inspiring ideas to help us survive and thrive our way out of the climate crisis. 

Urban river deltas, with their dense populations and economic importance, are under siege. Rising seas, land subsidence, and extreme weather are all signs of a climate crisis that’s hitting these low-lying areas hard. The challenge is particularly urgent in the Netherlands, where about a quarter of the country lies below sea level. 

A new study argues that we can’t just rely on science and technology to navigate this crisis — we need imagination, too.

What do they mean by that?

Uniting imagination and evidence by design to navigate climate survival in urbanizing deltas – npj Ocean Sustainability

Urbanizing river deltas are highly susceptible to sea level rise and extreme weather events such as floods and droughts.

Professor Chris Zevenbergen, one of the lead researchers, explains: “We scientists should not merely outline doomsday scenarios. Create a vision for people to believe in and work towards.” 

Indeed, the study focuses on urbanizing deltas and makes a case for integrating imagination and design into climate adaptation strategies. The goal? To inspire, engage, and motivate action before the next disaster strikes. Sounds amazing, doesn’t it?

But let’s see how the authors propose bridging science and design.

The researchers drew lessons from historical and contemporary delta management practices, especially in the Netherlands. They reviewed initiatives like the Delta Works, a series of flood defense projects inspired by the devastating North Sea flood of 1953, and the more recent Room for the River program, which combines flood protection with biodiversity enhancement.

Using an interdisciplinary approach, the team explored how design and vision-driven strategies can complement traditional science-based methods. 

They emphasized creating long-term spatial visions and scenarios to tackle uncertainties and complexities. This method also included engaging diverse stakeholders, such as scientists, policymakers, and local communities, to develop and visualize possible futures for urban deltas.

And what did the results of the study look like?

Well, the study highlights how the Netherlands’ history of adaptive water management offers valuable lessons for other vulnerable deltas worldwide.

 For example, the Room for the River program demonstrated how working with natural processes like creating space for rivers to overflow safely can prevent catastrophic floods while restoring ecosystems. 

For example, during the extreme rainfall and storms of 2021, areas protected under this program avoided significant damage despite water levels exceeding previous records.

But the authors don’t stop at celebrating past successes. They point out that many of these solutions were never intended to be permanent fixes. Instead, Johan van Veen, a visionary designer of the Delta Works, always saw them as part of a larger, ongoing process. 

Zevenbergen echoes this sentiment, noting that today’s challenges require a fresh vision. “Do we want to preserve our current coasts, flexibly adapt to change, or give way completely to the rising sea?” he asks. These scenarios for 2100, currently being developed, are an example of how imagination can shape policy and inspire collective action.

I know what you’re thinking, though: Why does imagination matter here?

The study argues that imagination is critical for tackling the climate crisis, especially in complex systems like urban deltas. Traditional scientific models often struggle with climate change’s unpredictability, leaving gaps in our ability to prepare effectively. By integrating design and imagination, we can bridge these gaps, exploring creative solutions that science alone might miss.

As Zevenbergen explains, “Ask the wider society: what do we want our country to look like in 100 years? What do we really care about?” By visualizing appealing futures, we not only generate innovative ideas but also build public support for the bold measures needed to bring them to life.

And what lessons does this study bring to the rest of the world?

The Dutch experience serves as both a warning and a guide. While prosperous regions face the challenge of upgrading expensive, aging infrastructure, deltas in low- and middle-income countries often lack the resources for even basic flood defenses. 

It is in these areas that the combination of science, design, and public engagement could be transformative. Programs like the Netherlands’ Delta Program show how coordinated efforts can align diverse interests, from ecological preservation to economic development.

But imagination isn’t just for policymakers and engineers. The researchers call on universities to integrate “design thinking” into their curricula, preparing students to think big and work creatively. Zevenbergen puts it simply: “We want students with the ability to create and the motivation to realize visions of the future.”

In a way, this study is a call to think beyond the immediate and embrace the potential of long-term, visionary planning. Urban deltas, as hubs of human and economic activity, are both at risk and full of opportunity. By combining science, imagination, and design, we can not only protect these critical areas but also reimagine them as more resilient, sustainable, and vibrant places.

The researchers’ approach isn’t just about surviving the climate crisis — it’s about thriving through it. That kind of forward-thinking mindset is exactly what’s needed to turn today’s challenges into tomorrow’s solutions. 

We need to start thinking more like the children we have within.