The line - NEOM

'The Line' is an upcoming example of sustainable urban development and innovation

Construction of NEOM (or “the Line”) began this autumn in Saudi Arabia – arguably the most recent example of a nation harnessing innovation and the newest technologies in the name of sustainable urban development. With a landmark budget of $500 billion, ambitious targets have been set out: accommodating a future population of up to 9 million people while powered 100% by renewable energies. Seemingly the emblem of Saudi Arabia’s 2030 Vision, the project’s overarching objective is to diversify from the existing oil-intensive economy and promote social cohesion. The self-proclaimed “future of urban living” aims to place nature and its citizens at its very core: embodying the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11 of promoting sustainable cities and communities.

Identifying some of the key challenges faced by urban centres today (namely pollution, auto centrism, lack of green space and individualism), NEOM seeks to become the blueprint for the future by providing integrative and imaginative solutions to urbanism. One such example is the high-speed train connecting both ends of the development with a journey time limited to just 20 minutes, thus completely eradicating the need for a dependency on cars and personal vehicles.

There is a hope that such a project will inspire and open up discussions about similar developments elsewhere, or at the least set an example of how attainable it is for humans and nature to live side-by-side and in harmony. Such innovative solutions seem to hold the key to sustainable living. Where there is a will, there is a way…

Citations:

Department of Economic and Social Affairs (n.d.) United Nations Sustainable Development. United Nations. Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/goal11 [Accessed November 24, 2022].

NEOM (n.d.). Available at: https://www.neom.com/en-us [Accessed November 22, 2022].

The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia (n.d.) Vision 2030. Available at: https://www.saudiembassy.net/vision-2030#:~:text=Vision%202030%20is%20built%20around,Crown%20Prince%20Mohammed%20bin%20Salman [Accessed November 24, 2022].