Environmental Justice and the Distribution of Urban Recreational Areas in Astana (Kazakhstan)
Mussabayev T. Barakbayev A. Abdykarimova S.
February 2026Seventh Sense Research Group
SSRG International Journal of Civil Engineering
2026#13Issue 21 - 9 pp.
The authors of the study believe that urban planning tools and coherent planning of urban green spaces are the primary available methods for mitigating air pollution in Astana. In the survey, urban recreational areas of Astana (urban parks, squares, and gardens) are considered the primary sites of urban green space concentration, serving as the primary source of air filtration and as natural barriers that intercept polluted air flows. However, in addition to the number of recreational areas, they must be distributed evenly throughout the city. In this regard, the study is based on the concept of environmental justice. A statistical juxtaposition of environmental hotspots with social susceptibility features is conducted to determine whether a double burden or double blessing is occurring in the Astana districts. The authors calculated the spatial distribution of air pollution from the citys primary source, Thermal Power Station-2. The studys main finding is that the distribution of urban recreational areas in Astana is unequal. In the city districts most exposed to air pollution and with the lowest income levels, there is a need for additional urban recreational areas to protect residents from air pollution. In contrast, the district with the lowest air pollution and the highest income rate in Astana has the most significant number of urban recreational areas. The study aims to contribute to the emergence of the concept of environmental justice in Kazakhstan by examining the unequal distribution of urban recreational areas in Astana.
Environmental justice , Green spaces , Recreational areas , Urban planning , Vegetation
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Department of Construction, Eurasian National University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Department of Architecture, S. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University, Astana, Kazakhstan
Department of Construction
Department of Architecture
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Книга Публикация научной статьи Волощук 2026 Book Publication of a scientific article 2026