Saudi gigaprojects hold promise for humanity
When nations embark on mega or even giga construction
projects, they inevitably make a profound political statement. This phenomenon
is intrinsic to our human nature, a direct consequence of our prevailing
concepts of nationhood. Consider Saudi Arabia's announcement of "The
Line" as part of its massive NEOM project, encompassing Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman's Vision 2030 for the nation. This grand initiative was met
with both wonder and apprehension.
Wonder, because "The Line" represents a visionary
reimagining of urban living—a 200-meter-wide, 170-kilometer-long megastructure
designed to offer its anticipated 9 million residents all the conveniences and
amenities of a city without the afflictions commonly associated with modern
urban centers: pollution, social disparities due to flawed urban planning, and
traffic gridlock. There are no cars, no streets; transportation is facilitated
by hyperloops, enabling a 30-minute journey from one end of "The
Line" to the other, spanning an astonishing 170 kilometers. It is an
extension of the monumental NEOM project, which includes OXAGON, a futuristic
and environmentally sustainable industrial complex and port, Trojena, an
expansive mountain tourism hub, and Sindalah, a luxurious resort island.
Diriyah
emerges as Saudi PIF’s 5th giga-project
"The Line" is entirely powered by renewable energy
and green technologies, designed and administered independently, unburdened by
the outdated and inefficient economic and environmental infrastructures that
constrain many other countries. It was constructed with an eye toward the
future.
Nevertheless, its announcement has also generated
trepidation due to its sheer magnitude and ambition. No nation has ever
undertaken a project of this scale. During a recent Discover NEOM event at
Pasir Panjang Power House, some members of the NEOM team referred to it as the
most significant construction project in human history since the pyramids of
Egypt—a lofty claim that Saudi Arabia's political adversaries are eager to see
fail. We have witnessed such projects falter in the past—projects conceived by
national leaders with the intent to galvanize their nations, only to squander
millions or even billions of dollars on abandoned structures marring
cityscapes. In Singapore, we have experienced a taste of this with the
on-again, off-again Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail project.
Saudi
Arabia’s giga-city Neom witnesses a thriving community, schools opened
However, Saudi Arabia possesses both the resources and the
determination to prove its skeptics wrong. It is a youthful nation, with over
67% of its population under the age of 35 as of 2020, as reported by the Saudi
Press Agency. The country boasts a remarkably abundant sovereign fund, and its
leadership has skillfully transformed Saudi Arabia's global cultural presence,
making significant strides in sports, art, business, and tourism.
There exists another perspective when considering "The
Line." While we are inherently political beings, we should also view this
undertaking from a broader perspective, transcending geopolitics. We should
contemplate the greater significance of this endeavor: "The Line"
holds importance for humanity as a whole. It demonstrates our capacity for
radical change in the service of advancing human civilization and preserving
our planet—an imperative given the dire challenges we face, particularly
concerning climate change and social inequality. On one hand, we've witnessed
the extinction of numerous species of flora and fauna that share our planet,
and on the other, we've observed individuals spending billions on social media
platforms for vanity while $44 could make a life-or-death difference for
others.
As the first of its kind, "The Line" is not without imperfections. Yet, just as the ancient Egyptian pyramids evolved from crude brick mastabas to the magnificent, eternal wonders of Giza, we cannot achieve the utopias we envision without first realizing "The Line." Or, it is conceivable that "The Line" may, in fact, be the utopia we have sought as a species.
Source: https://www.augustman.com/
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