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Investigation of Urban Green Areas from The Framework of
Sustainable Urbanization on The Case of Amasya

Within the scope of searching for answers to the determined goals and
problems, a literature search was first conducted on urban open green spaces
and sustainable urbanization. In the theoretical part of the study, the planning
standards of green areas according to the population of cities, neighborhoods
and local areas are included. The field research section was established based
on the standard data regarding the need for green space required in urban
settlements obtained from the literature review. In this context, the existing
green areas located in the city center of Amasya were identified on maps and
the data obtained as a result of the analyses were examined comparatively.

2. Sustainable Urbanization and Green Spaces
Rapid urbanization and the resulting population growth due to the
changes and transformations of the cities after the industrial revolution,
poor neighbourhoods emerging as a result of the air and environmental
pollution which are one of the characteristics of industrial cities, the reckless
consumption of scarce resources, rapid sprawl of cities due to rapid economic
growth and the resulting increase in the concrete structures have started to
threaten the existence of green spaces in cities (Gül and Küçük, 2001:28;
Sandal et al., 2014:157; Yürük, 2022:35). In addition, the rapid growth of the
urban population has caused serious consumption needs in all countries of
the world. In order to meet the consumption needs, natural environment was
damaged in such a way to threat the humanity (Sezgin and Varol, 2012:273-
275). In line with these concerns, various conferences were organized and
important reports were prepared to ensure the sustainability of cities, with
the participation of all the countries throughout the world. (Kayhan, 2013:62).
The first of these was the Stockholm Conference in 1970. It was, for the first
time, emphasized that the natural environment should be protected and that
we will fail to pass the resources down to the future generations if we don’t
stop this current situation (United Nations, 2022). Soon after, the Brundtland
Report was published in 1987 and the ‘sustainable development’ approach
was expressed (WCED, 1987). Following that, sustainability approach
which balances the protection of natural environment and economic
developments was put forward in Rio Summit and Agenda 21 Conferences in
1992, in UN Human Settlements Conference-Habitat II in 1996, in UN Millenium
Summit in 2010, Rio+20 Summit in 2012 (Ministry of Environment, Urbanization
and Climate Change, 2022; Yılmaz Turgut, 2021:21). And in 2016, sustainable
development goals were defined for the year 2030 under the Agenda 2030 (UN-
HABITAT, 2020). Sustainable urbanization is highlighted because the impacts
of constantly increasing urbanization on the environment and people have not
been reduced despite ongoing discussions on the sustainable development
since 1970 to the present. In the scope of the 2030 sustainable development

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