WRI Türkiye's 'Livable Caferağa' Empowers Community for Sustainable Urban Change
WRI Turkey has led a successful community-driven initiative in Istanbul's Caferaga neighborhood. The project, named 'Livable Caferaga', aimed to create a more sustainable, inclusive, and livable urban environment from April 2023 to July 2024. The organization empowered the community to shape their own space, co-creating five key solutions to tackle local challenges.
The project addressed pressing issues such as overcrowding, rising heat, and pollution. It was part of Istanbul's citywide Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP), with Caferaga selected as a priority area for developing a low-emission zone.
WRI Turkey's Deep Dive Cities team worked closely with the community, involving them in the creation of sustainable solutions. The team empowered residents to take an active role in shaping their neighborhood. Five key solutions were co-created, including improvements to pedestrian safety, micromobility, public transit, parking management, and local delivery optimization.
The Livable Caferaga project has demonstrated the power of community involvement in urban planning. While there is no available information about the next stage of the Deep Dive Cities project in Istanbul, the success of this initiative highlights the potential for similar community-driven approaches in other districts. The focus from 2025 to 2026 remains uncertain, but the impact of this project in Caferaga serves as a testament to the positive change that can be achieved when communities are empowered to shape their own spaces.
