ENVIRONMENTAL
ATLAS OF OMAN

The Environmental Atlas of Oman is an advanced digital platform designed for the compilation, organization, and documentation of environmental data in it’s various scopes. It aims to support national efforts to protect the environment and safeguard natural resources. Additionally, it ensures their sustainability for current and future generations in the Sultanate of Oman.

This project emphasizes Oman`s environment as a key area for scientific study and public interest as part of the larger national vision. It derives from a scientific and knowledge-based relationship between the Diwan of Royal Court and Sultan Qaboos University; merging the experience of the Center for Environmental Studies and Research and the Remote Sensing and Geographic Information Systems Research Center.

The Environmental Atlas of Oman offers an integrated online system of precise scientific and technical data about Oman`s environmental systems through it’s interactive maps. It is a dependable instrument/platform that helps academics, researchers -including decision-makers in linked fields- to make evidence-based choices to support strategies for sustainable development.

The importance
of Ecosystem
Resources

Human societies fundamentally depend on the diverse resources provided by ecosystems. These resources encompass four main categories that reflect their scientific, knowledge-based and vital significance:

Provisioning resources

They include essential supplies such as food, water, timber and fibres which constitute the basis of life and it’s continuity.

Regulating resources

They are represented by the ecosystem’s role in climate regulation, rainfall patterns, water quality, waste reduction and disease control.

Cultural resources

They include aesthetic, cultural and recreational values that enrich human life.

Supporting resources

They consist of the environmental services that ensure the continuity of natural systems, such as soil formation, photosynthesis and nutrient cycling which are fundamental processes for growth and productivity.

It is worth noting that the effective management of these resources forms the cornerstone of natural capital, with its environmental, social, and economic values. Such management is essential to ensure sustainability and integrity of vital ecosystem services.
In this context, the Environmental Atlas of Oman emerges as a leading instrument supporting environmental sustainability. As an open digital platform, it provides accurate and up-to-date reference data and knowledge on ecosystem resources. It offers solutions, recommendations and scientific insights to address environmental challenges faced by decision-makers that contributes to public health and environmental protection.

Aims of the
Environmental Atlas
of Oman

The Environmental Atlas of Oman serves as a means of enhancing public awareness of environmental trends and collecting spatial data to improve natural resource management. The Atlas aims to prevent the degradation of ecosystem services, map ecosystems and their associated services and assess their status.
It further seeks to provide reliable scientific information on spatial patterns and environmental changes in the Sultanate of Oman by explaining their causes, impacts and strategies for mitigation. In essence, it functions as an opened practical platform for decision-makers and researchers to deploy environmental knowledge in developing policies and plans that promote environmental sustainability.

Data Organization

The Environmental Atlas of Oman is structured around four main sections (Table 1) to organize ecosystem resource data and biodiversity information. This structure provides a logical framework for data layers, reduces duplication and ensures the integration of information.

These sections were selected through a systematic approach that allows for the classification of environmental indicators in multiple ways to ensure alignment with internationally recognized classification systems. This enhances data reliability and supports both scientific and practical applications.

1

Demography and Social

  • Population (village/city)

     

  • Population centers

  • Willayat

  • Provinces

2

Natural Resources

  • Biodiversity

    • Animals

    • Birds

    • Plants

    • Insects

    • Fungi

    • Protozoa

    • Viruses

  • Freshwater sources

    • Wells

    • Aflaj

    • Water springs

  • Surface water

    • Valleys

    • Floods

    • Water bodies

  • Natural reserves

  • Topography

    • Contour lines

    • Geological formations

    • Linear phenomena

    • Geological Sections

3

Drivers of Change & Stressors

  • Earthquakes

  • Environmental challenges

    • Salinity

    • Soil suitability

    • Rising sea levels

4

Benefits

  • Roads

  • Energy

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