Neom’s sustainable goals: Can it live up to its green goals?

Ready to explore a city where dreams are soon to become reality; where life would blend harmoniously with nature? Let’s take a glimpse of a futuristic project that promises to shape a greener future for its citizens! Yes, it’s Neom, the brainchild of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman where innovation and sustainability promise to go hand in hand. It is situated in the northwest of Saudi Arabia, near the Egyptian and Jordan borders.

What makes Neom a groundbreaking project? Well, claims are made that Neom would heavily rely on renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydrogen-based energy to meet its power needs. The aim behind the construction of this eco-city is to diversify Saudi Arabia’s economy by drawing businesses from other sectors and in turn, reducing the country’s dependency on oil.

No wonder Neom is a praiseworthy experiment. But there are a few gray areas that are drawing criticism from the skeptics.  Neom’s proximity to the Red Sea raises questions on environmental conservation. The hi-tech infrastructure may exert pressure on the ecosystem. In addition, some concerns have been raised for the local communities. It is said that the local communities had to be displaced to make way for the mega-city.

Can Neom manage its environmental and social implications to become the smart city of the future? 

What do you think?