AUTHOR=Mostafa Ayman Mohamed , Alshahrani Adnan 

TITLE=Humanizing sustainable development through green spaces: a case study of Saudi cities

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Sustainable Cities

VOLUME=Volume 6 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/sustainable-cities/articles/10.3389/frsc.2024.1416983

DOI=10.3389/frsc.2024.1416983

ISSN=2624-9634

ABSTRACT=Urban sustainability necessitates green spaces, which are critical for public health, biodiversity, and improving environmental quality. This study examines the distribution and accessibility of green spaces within different Saudi cities, focusing on their effects on human well-being, environmental sustainability, and quality of life. A quantitative approach was used, with data on green spaces sourced from the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs and population data from the General Authority for Statistics. The researchers calculated per capita green space for each municipality and compared these figures to international benchmarks like the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommendation of 9 m² per person.The results revealed large disparities in green space provision across different cities. While some cities meet or exceed the required standards, others, especially in desert and semi-desert regions-face significant challenges due to limited water availability, which restricts the establishment and maintenance of green spaces. These findings underscore the need to promote more public green spaces, particularly in high-density areas, and to encourage the use of drought-tolerant plants and advanced water recycling technologies as sustainable solutions.This emphasizes the importance of establishing, restoring, expanding, and maintaining the quality and equitable distribution of green spaces in Saudi Arabia, in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030 and national initiatives like the Saudi Green Initiative.