Interventions for climate change adaptation can be successful through participatory governance involving government, research, stakeholders, and local residents. The approach is slow and challenging, but can lead to sustainable outcomes and behavior change. By building trust, activating participatory processes, and engaging in reflexive practices, progress towards climate change adaptation, particularly in water scarcity, can be achieved. Despite some pitfalls, participatory governance has shown promise as a key lever for ongoing change in addressing climate change.