Transitioning to a circular economy involves adopting practices like reducing waste, recycling materials, conserving resources, and implementing sustainable supply chains. This approach promotes economic growth while minimizing environmental impact and fostering long-term sustainability.

Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) conducted in compliance with World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards often go beyond the scope of Jordanian national EIA regulations. While Jordan’s Ministry of Environment mandates Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) focused primarily on biophysical impacts, international standards require a more comprehensive approach, integrating social risk assessment, stakeholder engagement, cumulative impact analysis, and climate risk and resilience. Major gaps include the treatment of gender-based impacts, livelihood restoration, cultural heritage protection, and labor rights. For projects seeking international financing, aligning with IFC’s Environmental and Social Performance Standards and World Bank’s ESF is essential to ensure compliance, risk mitigation, and access to funding.

Integrating green infrastructure (GI) into developed urban areas such as Amman requires a strategic, data-driven approach that balances environmental, spatial, and social factors. Techniques like Geographic Information System (GIS)-based spatial analysis, stormwater runoff modeling, and urban heat island mapping are used to identify high-impact locations for interventions such as bioretention cells, permeable pavements, green roofs, and urban rain gardens. Priority areas typically include flood-prone zones, public open spaces, and areas with poor stormwater drainage. Multi-criteria analysis helps assess factors like impervious surface coverage, land use compatibility, and community co-benefits. Implementing GI in cities like Amman supports climate resilience, urban flood mitigation, and ecosystem services enhancement within the framework of sustainable urban planning.

When ground-based meteorological stations have incomplete or inconsistent data, especially for key parameters like precipitation and temperature, researchers and planners turn to alternative sources such as satellite-derived climate datasets and reanalysis products. Tools like CHIRPS (Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data), ERA5, TRMM, and MODIS provide high-resolution, spatio-temporal climate data that can supplement or validate ground observations. These datasets are especially useful in hydrological modeling, climate change impact assessments, and water resource planning. Combining remote sensing data with in-situ station data through bias correction and data assimilation techniques improves accuracy and reliability, ensuring more robust inputs for water sector projects.