Municipal authorities are expected to play a central role in urban climate change adaptation, using urban assets and engaging local stakeholders through both direct command-and-control measures and indirect approaches such as delegation, and civic participation. However, the public responsibility dimension of the mixed governance mode is not yet specified clearly. This article addresses the gap by analysing how a combination of direct and indirect governance approaches can shape the scope and distribution of public responsibility. This is illustrated by comparing actions in urban adaptation plans and recommendations from climate citizen panels. The findings demonstrate that a mixed governance approach is an emerging mode of urban climate governance. However, its configuration varies between official plans and panel recommendations, particularly with regard to the scope of city-led actions and the involvement of other entities.