Birzeit University Faculty of Graduate Studies Program of Urban Planning and Design M.Sc. Thesis Research [ Urbanization and Environment: The Nature of the Conflict A Study of Sustainable Urban Development in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate By Salim M. Abu Thaher Supervisor Dr. Issam Al-Khatib A thesis research submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for M.Sc. degree in Urban Planning and Design from the Faculty of Graduate Studies at Birzeit University. Birzeit, June 2007 Table of Contents Table of Contents...……………………………………………………………….…. 2 List of Tables………………………………………………………………………… 4 List of Figures……………………………………………………………………….. 5 List of Maps…………………………………………………………………………. 6 List of Photos………………………………………………………………………… 7 List of Abbreviations…..…………………………………………………………….. 8 Acknowledgements...………………………………………………………………… 9 Dedication……………………………………………………………………………. 10 Abstract in Arabic………………………………………………………………...…. 11 Abstract…………………………………………………………………………..…. 12 Chapter One Introduction Introduction………………………………………………………………………...... 14 Research Framework…..…………………………………………………………… 15 The Urban Context………………………………………………………… 15 The Conceptual Framework…..…………………………………………… 16 Research Objectives……………………………………………………..... 17 Chapter Two Literature Review An Urbanized World………………..………………………………………………. 19 Urban Bias…………………………………………………………………………. 20 Rural-urban Classifications in the Palestinian Territories………………………….. 21 Rural and Urban Areas in Palestine………………………………………………… 22 Urban Expansion...…………………………………………………………………. 26 Flows of People…………………………………………………………… 26 Land………………………………………………………………………. 27 Urban Environmental Burdens……………………………………………………... 28 Managing Urban Growth…………………………………………………………… 31 Approaches to Spatial Planning…………………………………………… 32 Sustainable Planning…………………………………………….. 34 2 Palestinian Strategies towards Sustainability 35 Chapter Three Study Area Location…………………………………………………………………………….. 40 Land Use……………………………………………………………………………. 42 Demography and Population………………………………………………………... 45 Internal Immigration and Flows of People…….………………………….. 46 Urbanization in Ramllah and AL-Bireh Governorate………………………………. 46 Infrastructure Utilities………………………………………………………………. 49 Piped Water Supply….…………………………………………………….. 49 Sewage Disposal Facilities……………………………………………….... 51 Solid Waste Collection Services…………………………………………... 54 Transportation…..…………………………………………………………. 58 Chapter Four Methodology General Approach…………………………….……………………………………. 61 GIS Processing……………………………………………………………………... 63 Chapter Five Results & Analysis Population Statistics Analysis……………………………………………………… 75 Urban Growth Analysis……………………………………………………………... 77 GIS Analysis for Land Availability………………………………………………... 81 Chapter Six Discussion and Recommendations Urbanization and Demographic Trends……………………………………………. 85 Land Availability Study……………………………………………………………. 86 Recommendations………………………………………………………………….. 91 References…………………………………………………………………………... 93 3 List of Tables No. of Table Name of Table Page 2.1 Types of Palestinian Communities 23 2.2 Built-up Areas Per Capita in Selected Cities, 2005 25 3.1 Land use classification in Ramallah and Al-Bireh 43 Governorate, 2004 3.2 Estimated Population Distribution in Ramallah and Al-Bireh 45 Governorate 3.3 Built-up Area Estimations in Ramallah and Al-Bireh 48 Governorate, 2000 5.1 Population Projections in Ramallah and Al-Bireh 76 Governorate 5.2 Required Built-up Area in Ramallah and Al-Bireh 80 Governorate, (km2) 5.3 Area of Available Lands for Urban Development in 81 Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate by Suitability 4 List of Figures No. of Figure Name of Figure Page 2.1 Urban Community Dwellers Percentages 24 3.1 Expansion of Palestinian Built-up Areas and Israeli 48 Colonies Inside the Village Boundaries of Ramallah and Al-Bireh 4.1 Research Methodology Chart 62 5.1 Population Distribution in Ramallah and Al-Bireh 74 Governorate, 2006 5.2 Distribution of Estimated Population Densities over the 74 Total Community Area in Al-Bireh Governorate, 2006 5.3 (A) Population Projections in Ramallah and Al-Bireh 76 Governorate for the Years 2006, 2010, 2015, 2020 5.3 (B) Population Projections in the Existing Urban Centers of 77 Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate 5.4 Built-up Areas in the Urban Centers of Ramallah and Al- 78 Bireh Governorate 5.5 Percentages of Built-up Areas in the Urban Centers of 78 Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate 5.6 Trend Line Approximation for Built-up Area in Ramallah 79 and Al-Bireh Governorate 5.7 Required Built-up Area in Ramallah and Al-Bireh 80 Governorate for the Years 2006, 2010, 2015, 2020 5 List of Maps No. of Map Name of Map Page 2.1 Conceptual Outlines of the Urban Expansion Modeling 38 3.1 Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate 40 3.2 Localities in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate 41 3.3 Land Use in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate 44 3.4 Urban Growth in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate (1989- 47 2000) 3.5 Historical Urban Expansion and Land Use / Land Cover 50 Changes in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate 4.1 Political Land Classification (Areas A, B, C) 66 4.2 (A) Israeli Colonies and Military Bases in Ramallah and Al- 67 Bireh Governorate 4.2 (B) Segregation Wall in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate 68 4.3 Suitability of Land for Agriculture in Ramallah and Al-Bireh 69 Governorate 4.4 Areas of Biodiversity in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate 72 4.5 Water Sensitivity Areas in Ramallah and Al-Bireh 73 Governorate 5.1 Land Suitability for Urban Development in Ramallah and 83 Al-Bireh Governorate 6.1 (A) Developmental Plan Sub-centers in Ramallah and Al-Bireh 89 Governorate 6.1 (B) Environmental Suitability within the Village Boundary of 90 Suggested Sub-Centers 6 List of Photos No. of Photo Name of Photo Page 3.1 Wastewater from Al-Jalazone Camp covering the 53 agricultural land of Jifna village 3.2 (A) Ramallah Dumpsite 57 (B) Wastes with height of 60 m 3.3 (A) Al-Bireh Dumpsite 57 (B) Al-Jinan Dumpsite 3.4 (A) Wastes beside container (Ramallah City) 58 (B) Old vehicles dumped near houses (Al-Bireh City) 7 List of Abbreviations Abbreviation Full Name ARIJ Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem GIS Geographic Information Systems MLG Ministry of Local Government MOPIC Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation PCBS Palestinian Central Bureau f Statistics PNA Palestinian National Authority UNEP United Nations Environment Program UNRWA United Nations Relief and Works Agency WHO World Health Organization 8 Acknowledgments I would like to express my special thanks and sincere gratitude to Dr. Salem Thawaba for encouraging, motivating and supporting me throughout this study. Also I would like to thank my family, colleagues and everybody who contributed his precious time and energy in sharing information and ideas with me. In addition, I would like to thank, especially, the following organizations and all of their representatives: Palestinian Ministry of Local Government Palestinian Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation Palestinian Environmental Quality Authority Al-Bireh Municipality Ramallah Municipality 9 Dedication To faithful Ruba and lovely Basel… 10 ﻤﻠﺨﺹ ﺍﻟﺩﺭﺍﺴﺔ ﻴﺘﺒﻨﻰ ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ ﻤﺒﺩﺃﻱ ﺍﻟﻭﺼﻑ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﺤﻠﻴل ﻟﻭﺼﻑ ﻭﺘﻘﻴﻴﻡ ﺍﻟﻭﻀﻊ ﺍﻟﺤﺎﻟﻲ ﻟﻠﺒﻴﺌﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﻤﺭﺍﻨﻴﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻤﺤﺎﻓﻅﺔ ﺭﺍﻡ ﺍﷲ ﻭﺍﻟﺒﻴﺭﺓ ﻟﻭﻀﻊ ﻨﻅﺎﻡ ﻤﺘﺎﻜﻤل ﻹﺩﺍﺭﺓ ﻭﺘﺨﻁﻴﻁ ﺍﻟﺒﻴﺌﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﻤﺭﺍﻨﻴﺔ ﺒﺎﻻﻋﺘﻤﺎﺩ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻤﺠﻤﻭﻋﺔ ﻤﻥ ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺎﻴﻴﺭ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺘﻡ ﺍﺨﺘﻴﺎﺭﻫﺎ ﻟﻠﻤﺴﺎﻋﺩﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻭﻀﻊ ﺨﻁﺔ ﻟﺘﺤﻘﻴﻕ ﺍﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺤﻀﺭﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺘﺩﺍﻤﺔ ﻤﻥ ﻨﺎﺤﻴﺔ ﺒﻴﺌﻴﺔ، ﻭﺼﻭﻻ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺴﻨﺔ ﺍﻟﻬﺩﻑ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﻤﺜﻠﺔ ﺒﺎﻟﻌﺎﻡ 2020. ﺘﻌﺘﺒﺭ ﺍﻟﺯﻴﺎﺩﺓ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﺴﺎﺭﻋﺔ ﻓﻲ ﺃﻋﺩﺍﺩ ﺍﻟﺴﻜﺎﻥ ﻭﻨﺴﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﺤﻀﺭ ﻓﻲ ﻤﺤﺎﻓﻅﺔ ﺭﺍﻡ ﺍﷲ ﻭﺍﻟﺒﻴﺭﺓ ﻋﻤﻭﻤﺎ، ﻭﻓﻲ ﻤﺩﻴﻨﺘﻲ ﺭﺍﻡ ﺍﷲ ﻭﺍﻟﺒﻴﺭﺓ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻭﺠﻪ ﺍﻟﺨﺼﻭﺹ، ﺃﻫﻡ ﺍﻟﻘﻀﺎﻴﺎ ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﻴﺘﻀﻤﻨﻬﺎ ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ، ﻭﺫﻟﻙ ﻨﻅﺭﺍﹰ ﻷﻥ ﻤﺎ ﺘﺸﻬﺩﻩ ﺍﻟﻤﺩﻴﻨﺘﺎﻥ ﻤﻥ ﺯﻴﺎﺩﺓ ﻓﻲ ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﻤﺠﺎل ﻗﺩ ﺃﺩﻯ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺯﻴﺎﺩﺓ ﺍﻟﻜﺜﺎﻓﺔ ﺍﻟﺴﻜﺎﻨﻴﺔ 2 ﺍﻟﺘﻲ ﺒﻠﻐﺕ ﻨﺤﻭ 1800 ﺸﺨﺹ/ﻜﻡ ﺇﻟﻰ ﺠﺎﻨﺏ ﺍﺭﺘﻔﺎﻉ ﻨﺴﺒﺔ ﺍﻟﺘﺤﻀﺭ ﺒﺸﻜل ﻻ ﺘﺴﺘﻁﻴﻊ ﺍﻟﺒﻨﻰ ﺍﻟﺘﺤﺘﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﻭﻓﺭﺓ ﻤﻭﺍﺠﻬﺘﻪ ﺃﻭ ﺍﻟﺘﺄﻗﻠﻡ ﻤﻌﻪ. ﺘﻡ ﻓﻲ ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ ﺘﻘﺩﻴﺭ ﺃﻋﺩﺍﺩ ﺍﻟﺴﻜﺎﻥ ﻓﻲ ﻤﺤﺎﻓﻅﺔ ﺭﺍﻡ ﺍﷲ ﻭﺍﻟﺒﻴﺭﺓ ﻓﻲ ﺍﻟﻌﺎﻡ 2020 ﺒﻤﺎ ﻴﺯﻴﺩ ﻋﻥ ﻨﺼﻑ ﻤﻠﻴﻭﻥ ﺸﺨﺹ، ﻓﻲ ﺤﻴﻥ ﺒﻠﻐﺕ ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺎﺤﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﺒﻨﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﻤﻁﻠﻭﺒﺔ ﻟﻤﻼﺌﻤﺔ ﺍﺤﺘﻴﺎﺠﺎﺕ ﻫﺫﺍ 2 ﺍﻟﻌﺩﺩ ﻤﻥ ﺍﻟﺴﻜﺎﻥ ﺤﻭﺍﻟﻲ 158 ﻜﻡ . ﻻﺤﻘﺎ ﻟﺫﻟﻙ ﺘﻡ ﻋﻤل ﺍﻟﺘﺤﻠﻴﻼﺕ ﺍﻟﻼﺯﻤﺔ ﺒﺎﺴﺘﺨﺩﺍﻡ ﺒﺭﻤﺠﻴﺎﺕ ﻨﻅﻡ ﺍﻟﻤﻌﻠﻭﻤﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺠﻐﺭﺍﻓﻴﺔ ﺤﻴﺙ ﺘﻡ ﺤﺴﺎﺏ ﻤﺴﺎﺤﺔ ﺍﻷﺭﺽ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﻭﻓﺭﺓ ﻀﻤﻥ ﺤﺩﻭﺩ ﺍﻟﻤﺤﺎﻓﻅﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﻼﺌﻤﺔ ﻷﻏﺭﺍﺽ ﺍﻟﺘﻨﻤﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺤﻀﺭﻴﺔ 2 ﺍﻟﻤﺴﺘﺩﺍﻤﺔ ﻤﻥ ﻨﺎﺤﻴﺔ ﺒﻴﺌﻴﺔ ﻓﻜﺎﻨﺕ ﺤﻭﺍﻟﻲ 297 ﻜﻡ ، ﻭﺍﺴﺘﻨﺎﺩﺍﹰ ﺇﻟﻰ ﻫﺫﻩ ﺍﻟﻨﺘﻴﺠﺔ ﺨﻠﺹ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ ﺇﻟﻰ ﻋﺩﻡ ﺠﺩﻭﻯ ﺘﺭﻜﻴﺯ ﺍﻟﺴﻜﺎﻥ ﻭﺍﻟﺨﺩﻤﺎﺕ ﻓﻲ ﻤﺩﻴﻨﺘﻲ ﺭﺍﻡ ﺍﷲ ﻭﺍﻟﺒﻴﺭﺓ ﻭﺘﻡ ﺍﻗﺘﺭﺍﺡ ﺍﻟﺘﻭﺠﻪ ﻨﺤﻭ ﺍﻟﺘﺠﻤﻌﺎﺕ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﺭﺍﻜﺯ ﺍﻟﻔﺭﻋﻴﺔ ﺒﺤﻴﺙ ﻴﺘﻡ ﺘﻭﺯﻴﻊ ﺍﻟﺴﻜﺎﻥ ﻭﺍﻟﺨﺩﻤﺎﺕ ﻋﻠﻴﻬﺎ. 11 Abstract This research considers both analytical and descriptive procedures to describe and evaluate the current urban environmental condition in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate in order to introduce an integrated approach of urban environmental planning and management based on a set of evaluation criteria that have been formulated in order to set a basis for the sustainable urban development in the target year of the study; 2020. The main issue emerging in this research is that population counts and urbanization level are increasing excessively in Ramallah and Al-Bireh Governorate, mainly Ramallah and Al-Bireh cities, which led to high population densities and urbanization rates that cant cope with the existing infrastructure utilities in the two cities where the population density was almost about 1800 person/km2. In this research it has been projected that the population in the governorate will exceed 500,000 inhabitants by the year 2020 and it was estimated that the required built-up area in the target year is about 158 km2. So far, GIS analysis based on subjectively selected factors has been performed and revealed that there are about 297 km2 of suitable land for sustainable