Frontiers Corrigendum Template for Authors Corrigendum: "Humanizing Sustainable Development through Green Spaces: A Case Study of Saudi Cities"

Ayman Mostafa ^* Adnan Alshahrani

• Umm al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia

The authors apologize for this error and state that this does not change the scientific conclusions of the article in any way. The original article has been updated.In the published article, there was an error. [The abstract was inconsistent with the content and has been corrected for alignment].A correction has been made to [Abstract]. This sentence previously stated:"[This study aims to explore the impact of urban green spaces on improving quality of life and providing a healthier environment for residents, reflecting the growing global interest in green spaces and their role in sustainable development and climate change mitigation, especially in large cities like Jeddah. Analytical methods and field surveys were used to gather data from five urban parks in Jeddah. The study included questionnaires distributed to 409 park visitors between March and May 2021 to assess their satisfaction with park management, usage patterns, and social and environmental benefits. The findings indicate that green spaces play a crucial role in enhancing both mental and physical health, fostering social interactions, and reducing stress. Good infrastructure and a sense of safety increase visitor engagement, while the availability of green spaces per capita in Jeddah is relatively low compared to other cities. These results underscore the importance of developing public policies to improve access to and quality of green spacesPAGE \* Arabic \* MERGEFORMAT 3in large urban areas. Green spaces can contribute to sustainable development goals by reducing social disparities and enhancing residents' quality of life. The study recommends better green space management and increasing public awareness of their benefits.]"The corrected sentence appears below:"[This research examines the significance of green areas in urban communities in contributing to quality of life and fostering sustainable development for Saudi cities, specifically desert cities. The quantitative method was adopted relying on municipal records and population data, specifically for public green areas such as parks and gardens. The analysis was conducted with reference to the City Prosperity Index (CPI) to ascertain the role of green spaces in urban livability and sustainability. The results revealed enormous disparities in per capita green space provision across Saudi cities. While the Northern Borders region contributed 21.08 m² per capita, Jeddah contributed only 3.21 m² per capita. This observation stresses the immediate necessity to maximize urban greenery to augment quality of life and urban resilience. The results stress the vital importance of green spaces in advancing public health, supporting social cohesion, and promoting climate resilience. Moreover, the research highlights the importance of governmental programs, including the Saudi Green Initiative and the Humanization of Neighborhoods Initiative, that tend to solve these issues by promoting the use of drought tolerant plants and enhancing urban greening. The report ultimately presents key suggestions, including optimizing green space density, encouraging fair distribution, and raising people's appreciation of the environmental and social values of green infrastructure. These actions must be taken to foster sustainable urban development and enhance the overall well-being of urban residents.]"In the published article, there was an error. ["The World Health Organization indicator was removed due to the absence of an official publication, despite its academic recognition."].A correction has been made to [Introduction], [Paragraph Number 4]. This sentence previously stated:"[A study reveals that Saudi Arabia, particularly in cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, and Tabuk, is undergoing rapid urbanization, which has led to significant gaps in green space provision compared to international standards such as those set by the World Health Organization (WHO). Most Saudi cities fall below the WHO's minimum standard of 9 m2 per person, emphasizing the urgent need for increased green spaces to enhance quality of life and boost urban resilience (Addas, 2022;Metwally and Ibrahim, 2022).]"The corrected sentence appears below:"[A study reveals that Saudi Arabia, particularly in cities like Riyadh, Jeddah, and Tabuk, is undergoing rapid urbanization, which has led to significant challenges in the availability of green spaces. Research indicates that many cities across the country have lower per capita green space compared to global trends, emphasizing the urgent need to expand urban greenery to improve quality of life and enhance resilience against environmental changes (Addas, 2022;Metwally & Ibrahim, 2022).]"In the published article, there was an error. ["The World Health Organization indicator was removed due to the absence of an official publication, despite its academic recognition."].This sentence previously stated:PAGE \* Arabic \* MERGEFORMAT 3"[After getting the total area of green space, it was divided by the population in order to determine how much green space each municipality has per capita. Such a calculation method is aligned with the advice of Metwally and Ibrahim (2022), who, similarly, underscored that comparing per capita green space to international benchmarks-9 m2/person as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO), and 15 m2/person as required in the City Prosperity Index (CPI). This facilitates benchmarking Saudi municipalities' performance against not only international but also national benchmarks. The products showed that there were 301 municipalities with green space deficits and 93 ones with surpluses. The results of this analysis are in line with the Alajlan and Alreshaidi (2022) study that suggested a complex relationship exists between economic growth, urbanization, and environmental degradation, which makes it essential to consider sustainable urban planning and expansion of green space.]"The corrected sentence appears below:"[The total area of green spaces in each municipality was divided by the respective population to calculate per capita green space availability. To evaluate the adequacy of green space distribution, the study references the City Prosperity Index (CPI), developed by UN-Habitat, which recommends a minimum of 15 m² per person as a benchmark for sustainable urban environments and improved quality of life (UN-Habitat, 2016). This benchmark serves as a comparative reference for assessing how Saudi municipalities align with internationally recognized urban sustainability targets.The collected data were analyzed to identify patterns in green space distribution and examine variations across municipalities. The study aims to provide insights into disparities in green space allocation, supporting a deeper understanding of the relationship between urban planning strategies and green infrastructure development.]"In the published article, there was an error. ["The World Health Organization indicator was removed due to the absence of an official publication, despite its academic recognition."].This sentence previously stated:The World Health Organization, the World Health Organization (WHO) has acknowledged the significance of green spaces in urban planning for fostering health and well-being at various life stages. The WHO has established a minimum requirement of 9 m2 of urban green space (UGS) per person, which is not fulfilled in certain cities. This suggests a need for greater investment in urban greening initiatives (Prospects et al., 2012;Russo and Cirella, 2018).The corrected sentence appears below:[The paragraph has been removed.]In the published article, there was an error. ["The World Health Organization indicator was removed due to the absence of an official publication, despite its academic recognition."].A correction has been made to [Results and discussion], This sentence previously stated:Najran Municipality barely satisfies the WHO standard but falls short of the CPI benchmark, implying a moderate impact on urban prosperity stemming from its abundant green spaces.Most municipalities in Saudi Arabia meet the minimum standard for green space per capita set by the World Health Organization (WHO). However, some municipalities fall below this standard of 9 m2 per person. The graph illustrates the current average per capita green space in Saudi Arabian municipalities compared