Urban Legislation and SDG Localization: A Pathway for Amman's Sustainable Future

1. Introduction

Presently, more than half of the world's population resides in metropolitan regions, and projections indicate that by 2050, there will be an additional 2.5 billion individuals living in cities [1]. Unplanned urbanization is closely associated with a multitude of challenges that cover economic, social, and environmental dimensions. From an economic standpoint, it has the potential to exacerbate poverty and homelessness, while placing strain on critical infrastructure such as educational and hospital institutions. Socially, it often leads to increased discrimination and inequality, which in turn leads to disparities in mental and physical well-being. Unplanned urban growth can result in adverse environmental effects, including floods, greenhouse gas emissions, water pollution, and the degradation of natural ecosystems [2,3,4,5,6,7]. The United Nations (UN) implemented the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (referred to as the Agenda) as a comprehensive strategic framework, which received approval from all 193 Member States in 2015. The Agenda aims to mobilize a global coalition to address the challenges associated with urbanization. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), created by the United Nations as part of the Agenda, play a vital role in advancing sustainable global economic expansion [8,9,10,11,12]. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) comprise 17 interconnected goals and 169 linked targets that encompass many dimensions of social, economic, and ecological sustainability. These goals and targets offer a complete framework for tackling intricate difficulties. For a graphic depiction of these aims and ambitions, please see Figure 1 [13,14,15,16,17,18,19].

Almost two-thirds of the SDGs include some kind of urban component [20,21], highlighting the centrality of cities to the advancement of sustainable development in the Agenda. Ensuring universal involvement and opportunity for everyone is emphasized by the SDGs' basic principles of equity and inclusion [22,23,24,25,26]. The SDGs aim to establish a more equitable and just society by addressing inequities in income, education, and access to key services [ibid]. In addition, by tackling topics like climate action, clean energy, and responsible consumption and production, the SDGs proactively promote environmental sustainability [27,28,29]. To achieve sustainable growth in the long run, we must resolve to protect Earth's ecosystems and natural resources [ibid]. In addition to tackling transnational concerns like infectious diseases and climate change, the SDGs promote international collaboration by going beyond national boundaries and encouraging nations to work together on common problems [30]. A strong accountability structure is set up by the SDGs, so that progress can be measured and seen clearly [31,32]. The goals allow for effective tracking and strategy modification by making stakeholders and governments responsible for their promises [33,34,35].

2. Jordan's Pledge to Sustainability

Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in northern Arabian Peninsula that spans the Jordan River's eastern bank. Political uncertainty surrounds the nation, which is already in a precarious position relative to its neighbors [36]. There has been an extraordinary increase in the population of Jordan, which has multiplied by more than 10 in the last 55 years [37]. The widespread geopolitical unrest in the area is causing forced migration and an influx of refugees, which in turn is driving up the population density [38].

Reiterating its dedication to including sustainable urban development at national, regional, and municipal levels, Jordan signed the Agenda in 2015 [39,40,41,42,43,44]. By 2030, Jordan hopes to have contributed to the global goals outlined in the Agenda [45,46,47]. As part of this pledge, the government will incorporate the SDGs into its long-term goals for economic, social, and environmental development, as well as launch new programs to address specific social, economic, and environmental issues.

Rising concerns about environmental impact, economic inequality, and social welfare at the national level are likely to have far-reaching consequences for Jordan's city planning in the years ahead [48,49,50]. Jordan Vision 2025, the Government’s Indicative Executive Programme 2021–2024 (GIEP), the Jordan De-velopment Portal, the National Railway Project, the National Strategy for Women in Jordan 2022–2025, the National Social Protection Strategy 2019–2025, the Higher National Committee for Sustainable Development, and a number of other initiatives have been launched by the GoJ to fulfill this promise [51,52,53].

Governments in Jordan have received funding to improve their data collection and analysis capabilities [54]. Training and resources are provided by the Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation and other partners to improve data collection and reporting at the local level [55,56,57]. The ability to make choices based on evidence and successfully track progress is given to municipalities by this. To assist local development efforts, Jordan aggressively pursues money from international donors, bilateral partners, and national sources [59,60]. Mobilizing resources is a crucial aspect of SDG localization [58]. To that end, it is recommended that public-private partnerships (PPPs) be formed in order to pool resources and knowledge [61,62,63].

According to national development objectives, Jordanian municipalities are to harmonize the SDGs at the local level [64,65,66]. Take Amman, Jordan, for example. They've launched a slew of programs to further sustainable development goals. To achieve these goals, projects like the Water Desalination and Conveyance Project, Green City Action Plan (GCAP) for Amman, Amman Climate Action Plan, and the Amman Resilience Strategy have been established.

The 2030 Agenda has been in place since 2015, and GAM has made great strides in localizing and achieving the SDGs since then. However, there are a number of obstacles that Amman must overcome in order to localize the SDGs. These include a lack of urban data that is categorized according to different criteria, limited access to finance and resources, and a lack of institutional capacities, particularly in the area of public sector activity coordination [67].

To evaluate its success in bringing the SDGs to a local level, GAM has initiated a Voluntary Local Review (VLR). This extensive evaluation aims to critically examine Amman's VLR, highlighting its merits and faults, and providing vital insights for future attempts to improve. In particular, the Amman VLR drew its inspiration from Volumes 1 and 2 of the Guidelines for VLRs published by UN-Habitat and the UCLG [68,69]. Under the auspices of the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), this monumental undertaking is being spearheaded by illustrious institutions like as UNESCWA, UN-Habitat, and UCLG-MEWA. The goals of the evaluation are to evaluate Amman's performance in relation to SDGs 3, 7, 9, 11, 13, and 17 [70].

As part of GAM, the VLR Committee is in charge of monitoring the VLR initiative. More than 60 entities from the public and business sectors, civil society, academia, and several UN and international organizations were involved in the meticulous compilation of this study, highlighting the comprehensive consultation that characterized this project. The strength of Amman's VLR is in its clear dedication to the SDGs, which shows that the city understands how important these global objectives are and is determined to make them a part of local policy and practice.

In the future, Jordan is anticipated to maintain its dedication to implementing the SDGs on a local level [70]. In the Middle East, Jordan stands out as a prime example of a sustainable development goal (SDG) localization initiative, because to its government's emphasis on the topic and its commitment to decentralization and participatory governance. But there are a number of obstacles that Jordan must overcome on this trip. Significant obstacles to localizing the SDGs include a lack of resources, geographical instability, and, most crucially, legislative restrictions at the local level [71,72,73,74,75,76,77].

Several academics have stressed the importance of urban legislation as a tool for swift and sustainable implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [78,79,80,81]. Thus, the purpose of this research is to analyze the Amman Building and Regulation Act of 2019 and its provisions in order to identify any gaps or obstacles that might slow down Amman's efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

3. Amman Urban Law

Located within the capital governorate of Jordan, Amman is the cultural, political, and economic hub of the country [82,83,84,85,86,87,88,89]. Its northwestern Jordanian position, at the crossroads of many trade routes, makes it an important hub for banking, education, industry, and commerce [ibid]. Amman is home to 36% of Jordan’s population, including a large number of refugees [89,90,91,92,93], making it the country’s principal urban and commercial hub. The city is facing a number of socioeconomic problems caused by the inflow of migrants and the fast growth of the city, which is outstripping the capacity to build environmentally friendly infrastructure [ibid].

According to several accounts, Amman is a dynamic and ever-changing metropolis that is always growing [82], changing shape [94,95]. The main administrative body that governs the city is the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) [96]. The current set of rules that control how Amman is run is outlined in the Building System and Regulation in the City of Amman 2019, which was previously issued under Article (67) of Law No. (79) of the Urban Planning, Villages, and Buildings Law 1966.

With the preservation of its rich legacy and the promotion of resilience, modernism, safety, sustainability, and investor and resident attraction, GAM aspires to make Amman a leading municipality. Amman 2025 is the foundation of a holistic approach to urban planning that aims to realize this goal [97]. In the last ten years, GAM has created a wide variety of plans, policies, collaborations, and strategies that are all in line with the SDGs [98]. A major stride toward sustainable urban development in Jordan, these projects will make the city more resilient, environmentally friendly, and safer for everyone [99,100]

4. Material and Methods

The evaluation of the 2019 Amman Building and Regulation Act will be conducted as a policy analysis framework utilizing Bardach and Patashnik 's Eightfold Path [71] (Figure 2). This study aims to determine the specific legal obstacles that hinder the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Amman, Jordan. The fundamental issue lies in the absence of legal backing for sustainable urban development, with a specific emphasis on renewable energy, sustainable building, and public engagement. To do this, a comprehensive examination of the pertinent policy papers was conducted. The Amman Building and Regulation Act of 2019 formed the fundamental basis for urban growth in Amman by establishing the necessary legislative structure. The research has thoroughly examined each article of the Amman Building and Regulation Act to assess if it aligns with, hinders, or requires enhancement to contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This comprehensive research facilitated the identification of the precise legislative elements that either facilitate or impede progress towards the attainment of sustainable development goals for urban development. Areas that were identified as requiring improvement were given priority for policy suggestions.

The Jordan National Urban Policy was reviewed with the Amman Building and Regulation Act. This policy provides strategic principles for urban planning and development across the whole nation. This policy has undergone scrutiny to assess its objectives and guidelines pertaining to the localization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to identify any inconsistencies or deficiencies in relation to the Amman Building and Regulation Act.

To provide a comprehensive perspective on urban sustainability and the execution of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), policy papers from international organizations such as the United Nations Human Settlements Programme and the United Nations Development Programme have been thoroughly examined. The "World Cities Report" from UN-Habitat and the VLR Guidelines were important texts that provided recommendations on the best practices and standards for urban governance and sustainability. The international papers were compared with local rules to identify any discrepancies and areas that may be enhanced.

After conducting a comprehensive review, several policy alternatives were formulated. " By alternatives, we mean something like “policy options,” or “alternative courses of action,” or “alternative strategies of intervention to solve or mitigate the problem.” [71, p.18]. These encompass recommendations to the Amman Building and Regulation Act, implementation of requirements for renewable energy, public participation, and establishment of guidelines for sustainable building materials.

It is anticipated that using scenario modeling and expert input in future research projects would produce reliable study results [71]. Enhancing the validity and dependability of research may be achieved by sharing results and proposals with stakeholders, such as the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM), through policy briefings and presentations. By utilizing triangulation of policy documents, expert opinions, and academic literature, the conclusions may be ensured to be valid and reliable. Given the qualitative character of the study, it is important to take into account potential biases in personal perspectives. Incorporating quantitative methodologies in future study might enhance the confirmation of these findings, leading to a more thorough knowledge of the concerns.

5. Conclusions

The process of incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals into the city of Amman shows how important it is for local laws and global sustainability goals to be in sync with each other. It shows that, even though there has been a lot of progress, there are still huge problems in the political and institutional scene.

Improving public involvement, using more green energy, managing natural resources better, making cities more resistant to shocks and stresses, and following sustainable building standards are all things that will help Amman reach its SDGs. All of these plans call for changes to the regulatory system and new, more creative ways to handle resources. Second, involving the public through open governance will help keep the SDGs rooted in the wants and goals of the community.

Many other towns that are having the same problems will look to Amman as an example of how to deal with these issues. It will show how good city laws can help make the 2030 Agenda come true. Strong legal and administrative structures and a strong dedication to sustainable urban development make it possible for Amman and all cities around the world to have a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.