Urban River Renaissance

Cities lead innovation in river restoration, driven by citizens demanding accessible, clean waterways. Paris's swimming-in-the-Seine project, Lyon's blue-green infrastructure, Bordeaux's riverfront transformation—urban rivers become laboratories for ecological and social renewal.

The Seine cleanup for Olympic swimming captured global attention, but grassroots efforts matter more. In Montreuil, community groups restored the Croult, a buried tributary. Residents, many from African communities where rivers remain central to life, insisted their children deserved clean water access.

"In Mali, we gathered at the river," says project leader Amadou Traoré. "Here, rivers were hidden, shamed. We said no—uncover the water, clean it, celebrate it. Now children who never saw flowing water in the city play in the Croult. This is environmental justice."