Comprehensive Urban Planning Research Articles

Towards Age-Friendly Urban Spaces: Analyzing Elderly Facility Proximity Preference Needs in Dubai

This study addresses the critical challenge of optimizing spatial arrangements for the elderly in rapidly aging societies. It investigates the proximity preference preferences among nine types of facilities frequently used by senior citizens in Dubai. The research is set against demographic shifts and policy paradigms that are shifting towards aging-in-community, emphasizing the need for comprehensive urban planning tailored to the elderly. The study classified individuals aged 65 and above as seniors and surveyed 180 participants at Dubai’s Al Safa Park. Researchers analyzed the proximity preference, termed ‘adjacency,’ of facilities, including residential, rest, public, cultural, transportation, welfare, medical, commercial, and religious facilities. Data collection spanned nine days and employed cross-analysis and multidimensional scaling (MDS) to interpret the findings. The results revealed a high preference for proximity between residential spaces and parks, supermarkets, and bus stops, indicating a desire for accessible facilities. MDS analysis showed residential, rest, and transportation facilities were spatially closer, while religious facilities were distinct in location. Income levels significantly influenced facility proximity preferences, with high-income seniors preferring commercial facilities near residential areas but medical facilities farther away. This study highlights the importance of considering income levels in urban planning for the elderly. Recommendations include planning residential, transportation, and green spaces in proximity preference while acknowledging varying preferences for religious facilities. Future research should focus on diverse regions and consider individual circumstances. This study contributes to urban planning by providing insights into senior citizens’ spatial preferences, which is crucial for enhancing facility usage and satisfaction in aging societies.

Cross-Sectoral and Multilevel Dimensions of Risk and Resilience Management in Urban Areas Enabled by Geospatial Data Processing

The growing complexity of cities and the unprecedented pace of urbanisation create exposure and vulnerabilities to extreme events and crises that are difficult to manage and plan for as widely acknowledged by the existing literature. In this paper, three main challenges to be tackled are identified based on the selected literature according to the interpretation of the authors based on extended research in the field. Those challenges relate to the multi-risk environment characterising many contemporary cities, the need to overcome sectoral approaches towards increased alignment of emergency and spatial planning at different scales, and the opportunities that derive from integrated risk and resilience management. Such challenges are evidenced in the Pozzuoli case study, a densely inhabited municipality of the metropolitan city of Naples, placed into a volcanic caldera, that has been analysed in the light of the above challenges for an extended period of time of about fifty years. The in-depth assessment of the quality of urban development has been enabled by geospatial data management. Advanced geospatial information systems are not only instrumental in depicting the history of urban development in the period of consideration but also as an enabler to tackle the above-mentioned challenges. In fact, such systems permit a much more dynamic and updatable assessment of multirisk conditions and provide the basis for shared knowledge among the large number of stakeholders that are responsible for different sectoral and comprehensive urban and risk-related plans.

Urban Planning Perspective on Food Resilience Assessment and Practice in the Zhengzhou Metropolitan Area, China

This study aims to assess and analyze the urban food resilience of the Zhengzhou metropolitan area, proposing innovative assessment frameworks and methodologies. Utilizing a dual-level analysis approach that combines long-term planning impact analysis (2000–2020) with short-term resilience assessment (2018–2022), the study integrates public government data and Geographic Information System (GIS) data, employing spatial analysis, Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), and fuzzy comprehensive evaluation techniques. Findings from 2000 to 2020 indicate that urban planning within the metropolitan area has significantly impacted the food system. Urbanization has led to reduced agricultural land, but improvements in infrastructure have enhanced the efficiency of the food supply chain. Woodland and grassland areas have remained relatively stable, providing an ecological buffer for the food system. Building on this, the short-term assessment from 2018 to 2022 reveals significant dynamic changes and a continuous improvement trend in food resilience, though there is still room for enhancement. Food supply chain management and emergency preparedness and management contributed the most to overall resilience. Notably, extreme events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the “7.20 Flood Disaster” prompted the adoption of innovative measures to enhance food resilience. The study develops a multidimensional theoretical framework and assessment system for urban food resilience, offering new perspectives and methods for understanding and enhancing urban food resilience. The results highlight the critical role of urban planning in enhancing food resilience, recommending the integration of the food system into comprehensive urban planning, strengthening regional collaboration, and enhancing public engagement. These findings provide an important basis for policymaking and practice aimed at improving the long-term adaptability and short-term recovery capabilities of urban food systems.

Haemosporidian intensity and nestlings' life-history along an urban-to-rural gradient

Urban areas, i.e. dense housing and reduced green spaces, can significantly impact avian health, through altering land use and increasing biotic and abiotic stress. This study assessed the association of urbanization on haemosporidian infections, vectors, immune response, and body condition in Parus major nestlings, across four classes of urbanization along an urban-to-rural gradient in Vienna, Austria. Contrary to our expectations, vector abundance remained consistent across the gradient, while an increase in leukocyte count is positively associated with total parasite intensity. We found that nestlings in more urbanized areas exhibited higher parasite intensity and altered immune response, as evidenced by variations in the heterophil to lymphocyte ratio and leukocyte counts. Culicidae female vectors were associated with nestlings’ total parasites, scaled mass index, and industrial units. Nestlings in highly developed areas had higher infection rates than those in forests, suggesting increased exposure to infections. However, there was no clear relationship between total female vectors and total parasites. The level of urbanization negatively affected nestling body condition, with a decrease in fat deposits from forested to highly urbanized areas. Our findings highlight the complex interplay between urbanization, vector-borne parasite transmission, and host immune response, emphasizing the need for comprehensive urban planning to improve wildlife health and guarantee ecosystem functioning. Understanding how urbanization affects bird immunity and parasite infections is critical for adapting urban landscapes for wildlife health and ecosystem integrity.

Conceptual Framework of Information Flow Synchronization Throughout the Building Lifecycle

The construction industry’s reliance on traditional methods and fragmented workflows results in significant information loss, inefficiencies, increased costs, and errors. This study addresses these issues by integrating comprehensive urban planning with building information modeling (BIM) to create a seamless information flow throughout the building lifecycle. We propose a holistic framework that synchronizes data from planning to demolition, incorporating national and municipal digital twins. An imperative literature review and analysis of international best practices were conducted to develop a conceptual framework aimed at improving data accuracy and interoperability. Our findings underscore the importance of adopting open standards such as Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) and CityGML for effective information exchange. By implementing an information model (IM)-based approach in urban planning and public sector permit processes, project timelines can be streamlined, and regulatory compliance enhanced. This study concludes that continuous, integrated information flow facilitates more efficient, cost-effective construction practices and improved decision-making. Furthermore, this research illustrates the potential of digital twin technology to revolutionize the construction industry by enabling real-time data integration and fostering stakeholder collaboration, ultimately offering a robust framework for practitioners, and significantly enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of construction processes.

Determinants of housing prices: Serbian Cities’ perspective

This study investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of housing prices in Serbia, addressing the critical need to understand the drivers of real estate prices and their implications for economic and social welfare. Employing a panel data analysis approach on a unique dataset covering 24 distinct urban areas in Serbia from 2011 to 2021, we examine the relevance of diverse economic, demographic, and infrastructural indicators, providing novel insights within a developing country context. Our findings reveal that the housing market stock-flow model effectively predicts housing price appreciation trends, explaining over 60 percent of variation in property prices. Notably, disparities in labour income, captured by average wages and registered employment rates, emerge as significant determinants of real estate prices, underlining socio-economic disparities within Serbian cities. Housing prices exhibit a positive response to the population/housing stock ratio, suggesting higher prices in cities experiencing faster population growth relative to housing supply. Intensified construction is associated with elevated housing prices. Additionally, we find positive association between the inflation variable and housing prices, underlining real estate’s potential as an inflation hedge. Public service provision and infrastructural amenities also emerge as contributors to higher housing prices in urban areas, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive urban planning strategies. Our study contributes to the literature by providing specific quantitative evidence, advancing the understanding of urban housing market dynamics in developing countries. By offering nuanced insights into determinants of housing prices, our research informs policymakers and urban planners seeking to foster equitable and sustainable urban development strategies.

Az urbanizáció kérdései Kirgizisztánban: Biskek új települései

Urbanization in Kyrgyzstan, in particular the capital city of Bishkek faces the rapid growth of new settlements that often outpaces the developmental issues such as infrastructure, housing shortages, social services, employment, environmental impact, cultural and social integration, security, land ownership and property rights. These issues can be complex, and lead to disputes and uncertainty for residents. This can hinder development in new settlements. Efforts to address these urbanization issues in new settlements around Bishkek city should involve comprehensive urban planning, infrastructure development, land management, and social policies. It's essential to ensure that urbanization contributes to improved living conditions and opportunities for all residents, fostering sustainable and inclusive growth.

Supply and demand of ecosystem services of urban green spaces in deprived areas: Perceptions from Kumasi, Ghana

Urban green spaces (UGS) contribute to human health and wellbeing. However, few studies have focused on cities in the Global South, mainly examining them on a citywide scale without considering deprived areas where residents lack basic facilities and sufficient income. Consequently, there is limited understanding of the relationship between the availability of UGS and associated ecosystem services (ES), and what is actually demanded for by residents in such deprived areas. Therefore, this study aims to assess (i) the perceived supply and (ii) the perceived demand for ES of UGS in selected deprived urban areas; and (iii) to determine the potential gap(s) between these perceived supply and demand aspects. A mixed-method approach was adopted for the study, incorporating GIS methods, household surveys, and key informant interviews. As case studies, the study was conducted in two deprived areas in Kumasi, Ghana – Dakodwom and Ayigya Zongo. The findings reveal that land scarcity and encroachment have led to a limited supply of UGS in these areas. Nevertheless, residents appreciate the few available UGS and ES, demonstrating adaptation to their limited resources. They particularly highlighted the cultural ES provided by these UGS. The high demand for these services, surpassing their supply, shows significant gaps, emphasising the need for comprehensive urban planning and management decisions. Such decisions should involve all stakeholders and be underpinned by effective legislative support.

Arbitration and Resolution of Contending Forces of Urban Land Policy Expressed in Land Use in Metropolitan Areas of Nigeria

The beauty of a metropolitan area is efficient separation of different land uses so as to accommodate and ensure the coexistence of various land uses (residential, commercial industrial, recreational, etc.) in urban centers. This paper examines the complexities of urban land policy and land use in metropolitan areas, with a focus on Lagos. The study adopted qualitative content review to analyze existing literature. The study found that the government understands that land is a treasure; hence, there are land policies on the use of land to control the use and ownership of land in Nigeria. In spite of all these legislations, there are still existing problems and inadequacies in land use and administration of land in metropolitan areas, such as Lagos. This inadequacy are the contending forces of urban land policies expressed in land use in metropolitan areas in Nigeria. However, there are land use approaches which ensure the arbitration and resolution of these contending forces. These land use approaches include but are not limited to comprehensive urban planning, zoning and land use regulation, infrastructural development, etc.

Arbitration and Resolution of Contending Forces of Urban Land Policy Expressed in Land Use in Metropolitan Areas of Nigeria

The beauty of a metropolitan area is efficient separation of different land uses so as to accommodate and ensure the coexistence of various land uses (residential, commercial industrial, recreational, etc.) in urban centers. This paper examines the complexities of urban land policy and land use in metropolitan areas, with a focus on Lagos. The study adopted qualitative content review to analyze existing literature. The study found that the government understands that land is a treasure; hence, there are land policies on the use of land to control the use and ownership of land in Nigeria. In spite of all these legislations, there are still existing problems and inadequacies in land use and administration of land in metropolitan areas, such as Lagos. This inadequacy are the contending forces of urban land policies expressed in land use in metropolitan areas in Nigeria. However, there are land use approaches which ensure the arbitration and resolution of these contending forces. These land use approaches include but are not limited to comprehensive urban planning, zoning and land use regulation, infrastructural development, etc.

INTEGRATED RESEARCH TOOLS IN URBAN AND SPATIAL PLANNING

In working with urban projects, we are usually faced with the need to study the design object, regardless of its scale, significance and value in the city and the functions it performs. The larger the scale of the research object, the more voluminous our research becomes and, accordingly, requires a clear division into different layers and gradation in order of importance to simplify the conduct of the research itself and the ability to predict the expected results. A classic way of analyzing large territorial, urban and spatial objects is a comprehensive urban planning analysis. However, today's urban and spatial studies go beyond urban planning analysis and require a synthesis with the methods of other social and humanitarian disciplines, going beyond mono-discipline into multidisciplinarity and complexity. Also, changes in values in urban and spatial design, when attention is focused on reuse, mixed use, programmatic design, sustainability and consideration of climate change, the importance of public spaces in the life of the city led to the use of another format of urban studies. For urban objects of different sizes, such as a fragment of the city within the boundaries of the streets, a block, a combination of blocks, an undeveloped part of the city, a post-industrial area that is being revitalized, the author has created a list of seven layers necessary for analysis, which include physical, morphological, social and historical and cultural aspects of the study: 1) territory in the structure of the city, 2) functions and content, 3) accessibility and mobility, 4) morphology and buildings development, 5) inhabitants and stakeholders, 6) open spaces, 7) history and identity. The characteristic features of this urban planning and spatial analysis are, firstly, a proposal at all levels of analysis to fix proposals for changes that will be detailed at the design phase. Secondly, at each layer of research, it is suggested to interact with residents and users and capture their feedback for each layer of analysis. These layers of analytical urban research can be supplemented depending on the complexity and specificity of the research object. And also depending on the direction and requests of the research, the expected results.

Urbanization and Its Impact on Environmental Sustainability

Purpose: The main objective of this study was to assess urbanization and its impact on environmental sustainability.
 Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library.
 Findings: The findings revealed that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to urbanization and its impact on environmental sustainability. The study highlighted the environmental challenges posed by rapid urbanization, including habitat loss, resource consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental justice issues. However, it also underscores the potential for sustainable urban planning and innovative solutions to mitigate these challenges. To achieve environmental sustainability in urban areas, the study suggests the need for equitable development policies, resource-efficient technologies, and conservation efforts. Overall, the findings emphasize the importance of addressing the complex relationship between urbanization and the environment to ensure a sustainable future for urban populations and ecosystems.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The Urban Ecology Theory, Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC) theory and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) may be used to anchor future studies on urbanization and environmental sustainability. The study recommended that to promote environmental sustainability amidst rapid urbanization, comprehensive urban planning, embracing clean and renewable energy sources, improving water management and sanitation, and fostering environmental education and awareness are essential. Implementing these recommendations can lead to more eco-friendly cities with reduced resource consumption, lower pollution levels, and engaged, environmentally conscious communities, ultimately benefiting both present and future generations.

Urbanization in France: An Overview of Transformations and Impacts

This paper explores the historical perspectives and contemporary trends of urbanization in France, shedding light on the transformations, challenges, and opportunities that have shaped the country's urban landscape over time. The article begins by tracing the roots of urbanization in the nineteenth century when industrialization spurred rapid urban growth in cities like Paris, Lyon, Marseille, and Bordeaux. The rise of urban infrastructure, including factories, transportation networks, and housing, accommodated the growing urban population.The twentieth century marked a transition in France's urbanization patterns, with post-war reconstruction, suburbanization, and changing societal dynamics playing significant roles. Efforts were made to rebuild and modernize cities after the World Wars, resulting in urban renewal projects and architectural changes. Suburbanization emerged as a trend driven by the desire for improved living conditions outside overcrowded city centers.In recent decades, globalization, technological advancements, and changing lifestyles have influenced urban development patterns in France. Metropolitan areas, particularly the Greater Paris Region, have experienced significant expansion, concentrating economic activities, cultural institutions, and population. However, smaller towns and rural areas have faced population decline and struggles to maintain services and infrastructure.The consequences of urbanization in France have been multifaceted. Cities have become centers of economic innovation, cultural vibrancy, and educational opportunities, attracting talent and fostering creativity. Additionally, urban areas have played a crucial role in France's tourism industry, with cities like Paris and Lyon being major global destinations. However, the rapid growth of cities has presented challenges related to housing affordability, transportation congestion, environmental sustainability, and social inequality.To effectively manage urbanization, policymakers, urban planners, and researchers must understand the driving factors, impacts on local communities, and strategies for sustainable urban development. The article emphasizes the importance of examining demographic shifts, urban planning initiatives, transportation systems, housing dynamics, cultural transformations, and the quest for sustainable development. By analyzing the historical trajectory and current trends of urbanization in France, valuable insights can be gained into the opportunities and challenges faced by the country as it navigates the complexities of a rapidly changing urban landscape.The article concludes by highlighting the need for comprehensive urban planning, sustainable development practices, and inclusive policies to address the challenges posed by urbanization in France. It emphasizes the importance of transportation systems, housing dynamics, affordability, and environmental considerations in creating resilient and livable cities. Additionally, the article suggests that examining specific case studies like Paris, Lyon, and Marseille can provide deeper insights into the unique challenges and successes of urbanization in different cities.

Ecological Comfort of Green Spaces for Urban Parking

The article presents an overview of numerical solutions of computational fluid dynamics in the field of urban planning. The study is devoted to new solutions to maintain a comfortable microclimate in urban spaces in hot climates. Such territories require comprehensive urban planning and scientifically based environmental assessment. Numerical modelling in the Ansys Fluent software package is considered using the example of the influence of turbulence models on airflow parameters near a building site with and without green spaces. The article analyses the temperature and aeration conditions of the adjacent car park in three options: open (without landscaping); fenced with bushes; fenced with bushes with a canopy made of lightweight construction, without internal partitions, on the territory of an existing residential development, consisting of a group of 16-storey buildings in the new modern multi-storey micro district Karasuv in Samarkand (Republic of Uzbekistan). The performed CFD analysis provided an opportunity to determine the most effective localization of green spaces due to the consideration of their different combinations. The use of the CFD method when solving a problem makes it possible to optimize the period of pre-design analysis. The resulting numerical model of a house parking lot can be used to assess the impact of wind conditions and temperature regulation using a system of green spaces that provide stable and balanced heat input to the environment.

PROBLEMS OF SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT OF SKHIDNYTSIA BALNEOLOGICAL RESORT IN LVIV REGION

Skhidnytsia is a new resort in Lviv region that is developing rapidly due to its unique health and recreational resources and location in the Truskavets sub-region. Skhidnytsia has a number of functional and environmental problems due to the peculiarities of the spatial organization of its resort area. Skhidnytsia's resort area has a dispersed, scattered character. This is a set of unevenly distributed territories of autonomous health resort and recreational facilities with limited access for other vacationers. The entire space of the village functions as a resort due to the lack of a public resort area and turns into a field of conflict between permanent residents and resort guests. The interests of treatment, recreation and other economic activities intersect here. Unorganized movement and recreation have a negative impact on the surrounding natural landscapes and balneological resources.
 Today, Skhidnytsia needs a comprehensive urban planning approach to reforming and developing its resort environment. The actual tasks of the spatial reorganization of the existing resort area of Skhidnytsia are: connecting all resort areas with landscape and walking routes into a single planning system, creating a new resort-wide service center for vacationers, developing a resort-wide system of green spaces for mass recreation, improving and developing transport, engineering and resort infrastructure. The priority should be a comprehensive urban planning approach to the spatial development of the Skhidnytsia resort area, which can combine all local efforts and partial solutions of private developers, eliminating inconsistencies in the development and construction of individual resort areas.

The effects of the spatial transformation and the dynamics of transportation systems of the city and its surroundings. A case study of Latakia

ABSTRACT Syrian coastal city, Latakia, is suffering from an urban sprawl towards the surrounding settlements. This research aims to investigate the spatial transformations and the role of transportation systems in the expansion of Latakia and its surroundings. The study was done by carrying out a statistical visualization of the changes in the number of transportation modes, the size of the population, and the spatial extent of the city expansion. Additionally, accessibility of the public transportation networks was measured using the ArcGIS network analyst tool. The research found that the transportation systems had been a major contributor to the transformations of the borders of Latakia. In addition to seeing an increased population and significant waves of migration to the city and its surroundings, Latakia city witnesses massive urbanization of its neighboring areas, since they have a high level of accessibility from the city. The local authorities are not able to control this massive urbanization. Therefore, these areas around the current administrative borders of Latakia are expected to be merged with the city as a result of further expansion. Comprehensive urban and transportation planning procedures could be put in place in these settlements to control the expansion of the city.

Are traditional urban greening actions compliant with the European Greening Plans guidance?

The Biodiversity Strategy for 2030, embedded in the European Green Deal, is a key policy agenda promoted by the European Commission to protect nature and biodiversity. This strategy sets ambitious goals to protect and restore ecosystems, halt biodiversity decline, and improve monitoring and governance efforts. Notably, municipalities with at least 20,000 inhabitants are now invited to develop comprehensive Urban Greening Plans (UGP). To support this process, the European Commission has recently released a draft guidance document that provides step-by-step assistance in creating long-term UGPs. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 15 European cities to evaluate what kind of UGPs have already been developed and assess compliance with the European guidelines. The findings reveal that many cities have already developed greening or sustainability plans, although certain crucial steps are still lacking to ensure the long-term success of UGPs. These include securing political commitment, establishing a working structure, fostering cross-departmental collaboration, and addressing limitations in human and financial resources. Typically, greening strategies are implemented within broader sustainability initiatives such as climate adaptation or biodiversity strategy. Among the interviewed cities, four cities are in the process of developing a comprehensive greening plan that integrates various policy goals and strategies according to the European guidelines. Setting policy targets and monitoring the current state of nature and biodiversity emerged as the most challenging step due resource limitations. Finding suitable areas for greening in rapidly developing and densely populated cities was cited as a primary barrier to implementing UGPs. To accelerate the implementation of comprehensive UGPs, there is a need for more coherent financial and legislative support at both the EU and national levels.

A New Model for a New Nature

Smart city applications, evolving from technological to socially inclusive, aim to prioritize sustainability and livability. Despite growing interest, a lack of standardized definitions and planning methodologies hinders smart city development. Urban living labs (ULLs), on the other hand, play a pivotal role in implementing smart city solutions, acting as testing grounds for technologies and policies. Their integration into local government practices is essential. However, ULLs in Turkiye, such as the Basaksehir Living Lab and Istanbul Planning Agency, focus on local problem-solving and sustainable development. While ULLs hold promise, it is unclear if they can entirely replace existing urban governance models. Research is needed to assess their effectiveness. Effective collaboration between national and local governments is essential for comprehensive urban planning. Addressing these challenges, the article emphasizes the interaction between ULL and local government by analyzing Istanbul's landscape transformation process and management system as a model for other countries.

Rethinking Urban Decline in Post-COVID19: Bibliometric Analysis and Countermeasures

Urban decline refers to the sustained deterioration of cities in terms of their economy, population, and social aspects. The outbreak of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in 2019 objectively affected the trajectory of this phenomenon. A comprehensive analysis of scientific research on urban decline and its practical implications was conducted using bibliometric methods, data acquired from 2019 to 2023 and the Web of Science. Since COVID-19, research on urban decline has been predominantly led by traditional developed countries such as the United States and England, with a high degree of regional collaboration. Keyword clusters have focused on urban regeneration, growth, decay, family planning, resource dependency theory, public art, etc. Keyword co-occurrence has focused on shrinking cities, gentrification policy, land use, etc. Based on previous analyses and the contemporary context, the intrinsic logic behind the urban decline in recent years can be summarized as inadequate economic development, lagging infrastructure construction, the siphoning effect of core regional cities, and unique institutional factors leading to specific urban decline patterns. Comprehensive urban recovery plans have been proposed, including reshaping urban spatial layouts and planning and strengthening strategies for social and economic revival, with correspondence-specific samples. Studying the impact of COVID-19 on urban decline from the perspectives of city development and strategies can help us better understand the repercussions of global health crises on cities, providing a more scientific basis for urban planning and management to build resilient, sustainable, and equitable cities.

An analysis of Baghdad’s masterplans based on the development of green areas

Motives: Baghdad is the capital city and an important political, administrative, social, cultural and economic centre of Iraq. Baghdad’s growth and development has been significantly influenced by efforts to accommodate various needs of its steadily growing population. Uncontrolled population and urban growth have exerted negative effects in numerous dimensions, including environmental sustainability because urban expansion occurred in green spaces within the city and the surrounding areas.Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the planning solutions in Baghdad’s green areas in the past and at present, and to identify the key changes in the city’s green areas, including changes in the ratio of green urban spaces to the total area of the city. Comprehensive urban development plans for Baghdad were analysed; the main solutions addressing urban green spaces were discussed; the advantages and disadvantages of previous and present urban development plans were examined, and the percentage of green urban spaces in Baghdad was investigated based on drafts of the city’s comprehensive development plans.Results: Baghdad’s Masterplan pays considerable attention to the development and preservation of urban green spaces which exert profound effects on the climate, the local environment, the city’s aesthetic and recreational value, and its social and economic development. The previous and present masterplans share numerous priorities with the aim of improving the city’s environmental and ecological health.