Amman, Sept. 2 (Petra) – Minister of Environment Ayman Suleiman and Amman Mayor Yousef Shawarbeh on Tuesday inaugurated the first edition of the Environmental Heritage Makers Award, highlighting the challenge of flash floods in cities and their link to climate change.

The award is part of the project titled “Smart urban water management: enhancing the adaptive capacity and urban resilience of Amman through urban green infrastructure,” funded by the Dutch government in partnership with UN-Habitat, the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), and the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM).

Speaking at a press conference at Al Hussein Cultural Center, Suleiman said the award aims to raise awareness about the effects of climate change in Jordan and empower students and youth to design innovative, nature-based solutions to reduce urban flooding. It also seeks to connect these solutions with key environmental sectors such as combating desertification, biodiversity protection, and climate adaptation, while fostering creativity and teamwork across disciplines.

Shawarbeh emphasized that tackling flood and climate challenges requires practical, nature-based solutions, pledging the municipality’s commitment to creating a supportive environment for their implementation.

Deputy Head of Mission at the Embassy of the Netherlands Pier de Vries highlighted the depth of Jordan–Netherlands ties and the importance of supporting Jordan in developing climate solutions.

UN-Habitat’s Jordan Director Deema Abu Thiab explained that the project aims to create innovative ways of managing water and harvesting rainwater to help address Jordan’s water scarcity crisis.

Batoul Ajlouni, Chair of the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, stressed that Jordan’s natural heritage is priceless but faces growing threats from climate change and harmful practices, noting that the award encourages collective action and innovation for nature.

Winning projects will receive comprehensive technical and financial support, with the top three solutions implemented in specific sites in Amman to enhance the capital’s resilience to floods.

//Petra// AO
02/09/2025 14:33:13