1An urban metabolism diagram provides a graphical representation of the inflows and outflows of a city. The urban metabolism diagram for Amman focuses on energy, water (blue), and waste (green). The majority of the energy supply is provided by fossil fuels (red), which are imported into the city for direct use or transformed into electricity (purple)(fig. X.20). In terms of greenhouse gas emissions (grey), electricity generation and road transport are responsible for the majority of emissions. Therefore, these two sectors will be the most effective to target for greenhouse gas reduction. Amman receives a high quantity of solar radiation (yellow), making solar power a potentially viable energy alternative to fossil fuels.

Data Sources

Energy and waste: Provided by the Greater Municipality of Amman. Fossil fuel allocation by sector is based on national consumption by sector.

Greenhouse gas emissions: Urban greenhouse gas inventory for 2008 conducted by Lorraine Sugar, University of Toronto. Waste emissions represent emissions generated over the decay lifetime of waste disposed in the inventory year. Electricity emissions are based on the national electricity supply mix.

Radiation: From Hamdan, M.A. 1994. “Solar Radiation Data for Amman,”Applied Energy 47: 87-96

Water: Based on projections from the GTZ National Water Master Plan for Jordan.

“Although Jordan contributes a mere 20.14 million tons of Carbon dioxide equivalent, it maintains strong commitment to the objectives developed by the international community for the integrated environmental and economic response to the threat of climate change.

A sectoral breakdown of Jordan’s total emissions of Green House Gas is as follows:
• Energy (14,911 Gg CO2), 74.0 percent;
• Industrial processes (594 Gg CO2 eq.), 7.9 percent;
• Agriculture (183 Gg CO2 eq.), 0.9 percent;
• Land use, land use change and forestry (730 Gg CO2 eq.), 3.7 percent;
• Waste (2,713 Gg CO2 eq.), 13.5 percent.

A breakdown of Jordan’s total emissions on a Green House Gas basis is as follows:
• Carbon dioxide (about 17,047 Gg CO2), 84.6 percent;
• Methane about (2,745 Gg CO2 eq.), 13.6 percent;
• Nitrous oxide (about 347 Gg CO2 eq.), 1.7 percent.”
Ministry of Environment, UNFCCC, 2009, p. 51.

Figure X.20 — Amman Urban Metabolism Diagram.

AgrandirOriginal (jpeg, 257k)

Lorraine Sugar 2010

Atlas of Jordan

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