The Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) in partnership with UN-Habitat Jordan and the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN), and supported by the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, concluded the first cycle of the Environmental Legacy Makers Award.
Held at the Hangar Ras Al-Ain, the award ceremony took place under the patronage of the Chairman of the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) Committee Yousef Al Shawarbeh and Her Excellency Stella Kloth, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Jordan. The event was attended by Omar Arabiyat, Secretary General of the Ministry of Environment, representing the Minister of Environment, City Manager at GAM eng. Nabil Al Jariri, eng. Dima Abu Dhiab, UN-Habitat Jordan Country Director; and eng. Batoul Ajlouni, Chairperson of the RSCN Board of Directors, alongside representatives from various national institutions, partner organizations, and Jordanian universities.
The ceremony marked the culmination of the award's first phase, launched in September 2025 as part of the "Smart Urban Water Management: Enhancing Urban Resilience and Adaptation in Amman through Green Infrastructure" project. This project aimed to empower Jordanian university students to develop innovative, nature-based solutions to address the challenges of urban flooding and climate change.
The ceremony honored the teams of winners and finalists from Jordanian universities, recognizing their creativity, commitment, and innovative community-based solutions designed to address urban flooding challenges in three flood-prone locations across Amman: Al-Zuhour Stairs, the Greater Amman Municipality Parking Area in Ras Al-Ain, and Maysaloon Park (Climate Change Academy). The submitted projects focused on the application of nature-based solutions and green infrastructure to improve sustainable urban water management, reduce flood risks, and strengthen the city’s resilience to climate change.
Al Shawarbeh noted that this award represents a pioneering milestone, translating a shared commitment to confronting climate change by empowering youth innovation and fostering a culture of nature-based solutions. He highlighted that Greater Amman Municipality—in line with the Economic Modernization Vision—places youth empowerment and green innovation at the forefront of its urban priorities.
Furthermore, Alshawarbeh explained that the designs developed by Jordanian universities students to tackle urban flooding at the Al-Zuhour stairs, the Municipality’s parking lot in Ras Al-Ain, and Maysaloon Park reflect advanced environmental awareness and a genuine capacity to provide practical, sustainable solutions to climate challenges. Reaffirming the Municipality’s commitment to turning these innovative ideas into a tangible reality, he stated that these winning projects will be implemented on the ground in cooperation with partners to enhance Amman’s climate resilience and build a more adaptable city.
For his part, Omar Arabiyat added that, within the framework of Jordan's commitment to enhancing climate action and building national resilience to face the impacts of climate change, the Ministry of Environment places special emphasis on the role of youth and university students as essential partners in developing innovative and sustainable solutions.
Arabiyat affirmed that the Ministry of Environment strives to empower youth to understand the relationship between climate solutions and climate finance, by guiding them toward thinking of solutions that are scalable, measurable, and can be built upon within future projects and programs.
Stella Kloth, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Jordan, stated that “The Kingdom of the Netherlands will continue to support initiatives that empower young people to become active contributors to climate resilience and sustainable urban development. We value our partnership with Greater Amman Municipality, UN-Habitat Jordan, and the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature. We look forward to seeing these winning ideas translated into tangible projects that strengthen Amman’s resilience to climate change and inspire future generations.”
Highlighting the importance of empowering local communities, Eng. Dima Abu Diab, Head of UN-Habitat Jordan, said:
"At UN-Habitat, we believe that sustainable urban development starts with people, succeeds through partnerships, and is measured by its ability to empower communities. What makes this award unique is that it goes beyond raising awareness; it advances to empowering ideas and transforming them into practical solutions that can be implemented on the ground."
Engineer Batoul Ajlouni, Chairperson of RSCN, emphasized: "The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature is proud to host the Environmental Legacy Makers Award, the aim of which falls at the heart of RSCN’s mission, which focuses on protecting nature and biodiversity and promoting environmental awareness. Through the Environmental Legacy Makers Award, we aim to celebrate those who are making a difference and inspire others to contribute to building a greener and more sustainable Jordan."
The first phase of the award saw the participation of 700 students from various Jordanian universities. Seven teams, comprising 30 students, qualified for the final stage, after which three winning projects were selected by the Award's Jury Panel.
The ceremony included a tour of the exhibition showcasing the participating projects and designs submitted for the award. Attendees viewed a range of solutions and ideas developed by students for the three targeted sites, reflecting a high level of innovation, environmental awareness, and the ability of our youth to develop practical solutions that contribute to improving stormwater management and reducing flood risks in urban areas.
The winning projects will be implemented this year by specialized professional firms, and the winners' names will be displayed on plaques at the project sites in recognition of their efforts, commitment, and pioneering ideas.
The "Environmental Legacy Makers Award," hosted and managed by the Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature, serves as a platform to support environmental innovation and encourage active community participation in finding sustainable solutions to the challenges of climate change. It also reflects the importance of partnerships between Jordanian and international institutions in promoting sustainability, positive action, and improving the environmental resilience of our cities.
3-6-2026
Jamila Khair