Amman, Oct. 6 (Petra) -- The Lower House of Representatives Environment and Climate Committee, chaired by MP Jihad Abawi, held a meeting on Tuesday to review measures taken by the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) regarding tree removal from sidewalks and its environmental and urban impact.
The meeting was attended by Minister of Agriculture Saeb Khreisat, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Environment Omar Arabiyat, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Local Administration Mohammad Al-Amoush, and Chairman of the GAM Committee Ahmad Al-Malkawi.
Abawi stressed that the committee is closely following up on actions taken by relevant authorities to identify implementation mechanisms, existing gaps, and their effects on the capital's environmental and urban identity.
He stated that the committee submitted technical and procedural recommendations to balance safety requirements and public services with vegetation preservation. Key recommendations include drafting a national guide for urban afforestation, requiring technical assessments before tree removals, prioritizing pruning over removal, establishing environmental compensation rules, and creating a database for urban trees, particularly ancient and native species.
Attending lawmakers emphasized the necessity of preserving trees and green cover while ensuring pedestrian and traffic safety.
Minister Khreisat noted that the Ministry of Agriculture has planted approximately 4 million trees as part of a national project aimed at planting 10 million trees to expand and sustain green spaces across the Kingdom.
GAM Committee Chairman Al-Malkawi pointed out that sidewalks are part of the public road system and that municipal teams work to remove obstacles to facilitate pedestrian movement. He explained that sidewalks narrower than two meters should not be planted with trees because they obstruct pedestrians.
Al-Malkawi added that GAM designs sidewalks using engineering standards tailored to each area, noting that specialized municipal teams comprising agricultural engineers conducted a comprehensive tree survey that resulted in the removal of around 60 trees.
He further highlighted that GAM is currently planting around 125,000 climate-resilient trees across Amman in cooperation with relevant ministries and institutions to boost green coverage.
Ministry of Environment Secretary-General Omar Arabiyat emphasized ongoing coordination with GAM to safeguard the capital's environment and urban landscape. He noted that unregulated tree planting by individuals can negatively impact the environment and public health, as certain species attract insects and pests.
Ministry of Local Administration Secretary-General Mohammad Al-Amoush noted that municipal regulations govern sidewalk tree planting to reflect local conditions, pedestrian needs, and public safety standards, balancing green expansion with ease of movement.
Omar Al-Shoshan, president of the Jordan Environmental Union, highlighted the importance of establishing a greenbelt around Amman utilizing native plant species. He noted that a greenbelt would help curb urban sprawl, improve air quality, mitigate heat island effects, enhance biodiversity, and boost climate change resilience.
//Petra// AF
