Saudi Arabia’s Neom can lead a new era for urbanization in the world

 

Saudi Arabia’s Neom to become a role model for urbanization in the world

Richard Bush, Former Chief Environment Officer    

 

Siranna, a luxury destination along the Gulf of Aqaba and part of the NEOM project, is emblematic of a larger global trend: the urgent search for innovative urban solutions that optimize space, enhance livability, and reduce strain on our planet.

As the world grapples with climate change, pollution, desertification, and biodiversity loss, another monumental challenge is quietly looming — the need to build thousands of new cities by century’s end to house a booming global population.

By 2100, Earth is expected to host 11.6 billion people. UN forecasts suggest the number of urban residents will nearly quadruple, from 2.6 billion to 9.6 billion. Cities with populations over one million will increase sixfold, from 275 today to 1,600. That means over 1,000 new major cities must be constructed in just 75 years.

Can our environment handle that scale of development?

Urbanization isn’t just about where people live — it touches everything: how we commute, eat, cool our homes, and consume resources. But even more critically, the process of building cities is already one of the largest drivers of climate change.

 

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Construction — and the vast industries tied to it, including real estate, infrastructure, and manufacturing — accounts for around 40% of global energy use and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions. Producing core materials like steel, cement, aluminum, and plastic is highly energy-intensive and polluting.

The UN Environment Programme emphasizes the need to decarbonize building materials to reduce emissions throughout a building’s life cycle. The truth is, we’re constructing cities faster than we’re solving their environmental consequences.

But within this challenge lies immense opportunity.

We are entering an era that demands bold thinking, system-level innovation, and transformative projects that move beyond incremental progress. That’s why Saudi Arabia’s NEOM — a carbon-neutral, car-free, nature-positive city on the Red Sea — captured my attention in 2022 and ultimately led me to serve as its Chief Environment Officer for three years.

 

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NEOM is not just a futuristic city; it’s a living laboratory for how urbanization can align with environmental sustainability. It runs on renewable energy, adopts circular economy principles, and leverages advanced technologies to push the boundaries of green urban design.

During my time at NEOM, I witnessed how mega-projects can shift global supply chains — encouraging cleaner manufacturing, greener construction, and stronger sustainability benchmarks across industries. NEOM and other major initiatives in the region — including Red Sea Global, Diriyah, Qiddiya, and Murrabba — are now being recognized by international bodies like the World Economic Forum and the G20’s Urban 20 for their potential global impact.

These projects are succeeding because they combine vision with scale, urgency with innovation. They show that when a giga-project cracks a sustainability problem, the benefits cascade: construction industries evolve, future cities are better prepared, and societies as a whole move forward.

But real transformation requires more than ambition — it requires commitment from every sector, particularly business.

Why? Because sustainability is quickly becoming a source of competitive advantage. Consumers are demanding greener products. Governments are tightening regulations. Smart companies are responding — not just out of compliance, but because sustainability credentials now distinguish market leaders.

We’re also seeing promising international collaborations emerge. The WEF’s First Movers Coalition, for instance, is using collective purchasing power to stimulate demand for sustainable products. The First Suppliers Hub is helping decarbonize heavy industries by promoting innovative solutions across aluminum, steel, cement, aviation, and shipping.

 

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These efforts are moving us away from the old playbook of isolated competition toward a more cooperative model that tackles shared environmental goals.

Saudi Arabia is stepping forward with confidence, creativity, and a willingness to collaborate globally. Projects like NEOM offer a glimpse of what’s possible when we think big, act boldly, and reimagine urban living from the ground up.

Personally, it’s been a privilege to be part of this journey — to work alongside brilliant minds and help shape a more sustainable urban future. It’s given me hope that as we build the cities of tomorrow, we can do so in ways that are not only livable, but regenerative — for people and planet alike.

Source: Arab News