Nurturing green spaces for urban sustainable living

Nurturing green spaces for urban sustainable living

Muscat: In the pursuit of sustainable urban development, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Planning in Oman has launched an array of initiatives across governorates in the Sultanate. They are aimed to foster sustainable urban development, enhance quality of life, and create appealing cities that align with planning policies and criteria. One of the major focuses will be nurturing green spaces within city landscapes, according to Dr. Hanan bint Amer Al Jabri, Director General of Urban Planning. Hanan shed light on the holistic approach taken to redefine urban living, emphasising the pivotal role of abundant green areas in enhancing residents' quality of life. The top official highlighted the approach during a recent presentation titled 'Vibrant Public Places', a collaborative effort involving various government stakeholders including Muscat Municipality and the Environment Authority. She said: "The 'Vibrant Public Places' initiative focuses on humanising cities, making them more dynamic, and improving the livability of public spaces by reducing concrete and cement structures. Hanan added: "Our aim is to increase the allocation of public space per person in Muscat Governorate from 2 to 4 square metres, with plans to extend this enhancement to other governorates. "The goal is to create lively, verdant spaces that