DOI: 10.3886/e177841
title: saudi-arabias

description: Saudi Arabia's $320 Billion ProjectWe've said it before and we'll say it again: Climate change is a big threat to our survival. The problem is so severe that even the world's largest exporter of oil is working towards solving it.And its solution?A futuristic carbon-neutral city, with no cars, and floating elevators. And its biggest dream? A 105-mile long skyscraper that will be home for over 9 million people.Imagine having that many neighbours!But, wait! Why house so many people in one building?Well, calling 'The Line' a building is like calling the Taj Mahal a cemetery. You're right in theory, but wrong every other way.<br>The Line is Saudi Arabia's version of a utopia, a perfect model city which will have:Perfect Climate Throughout the YearHave No Cars As All Amenities Will be Within A 5-Minute DistancePreserve 95% of the Natural Surroundings by Housing A Lot of People in A Smaller Space<br>Impressed already? Well, picture abhi baaki hai mere dost.The Line is just a residency project. If you want to chill away from your 9 million neighbours you have several options like:Silver Beach, which will have marble instead of sand.<br>And Trojena, which will have all year round skiing and mountaineering activities and an artificial lake.<br>Or Oxagon, a floating port city, that will innovate and research clean energy (this includes manufacturing hydrogen fuel cells), and will completely automate supply chain and other transportation logistics to make sure we don't face another supply chain crisis.But Saudi Arabia is giving it its all to make its prince's dream come true.The country has spent billions of dollars on the city already in the last 5 years and plans to raise $80 billion more through an IPO.But so far, there is little to show for the money spent.And the project has had several human resource issues also, with lots of advisors and workers leaving.Why? Because the plans for this futuristic city keep changing and planners are shamed for not spending enough money.Most workers want to cash in on as much wealth as they can from the oil-rich city and wash their hands off the projectSo, is this heaven on Earth actually impossible? Are smart cities the wrong approach to achieving sustainability and a better way of life?Modern Day UtopiasWell, Saudi Arabia may have gone the way of the typical Bollywood aashiq: promising you the moon and stars only to give you heartache.But realistic smart cities are very much possible.And though they may not allow you to ski in all weathers, they can solve a lot of real problems.Let’s take the example of Barcelona. The city has laid fibre optic cables all across to give citizens free WiFi all around.<br><br>Not just that, it has used Internet of Things (IoT) to manage street lamps, parking, traffic and so on to save people's time and money.For instance, sensors in Barcelona tell you exactly which parking spot is empty so you don't have to drive around to find one.Plus, all parking tickets are online, saving a lot of time.Such efforts have helped the city save €75 million and create 47,000 jobs in the field of tech which has dramatically increased its stock price in Excel. Boston and Baltimore have also installed smart trash cans (yes, you read that right). These trash cans detect the kind of waste you throw and calculate the best and most efficient way to dispose it off. This may seem like too much tech, but waste management has become a major problem for the world.And it's not only cities with 'B' that are making these revolutionary changes.Paris is also planning on becoming a 15-minute city. <br><br>The idea is no matter what you want, it should be available within 15-minutes of walking or cycling distance! Unpopular opinion: We would go with this option over the 15 min delivery frenzy anyday (*Coughs*)And, here’s an unpopular opinion: We would go with this option over the 15 min delivery frenzy anyday! Now, that's an idea that everybody who has ever been stuck in traffic can get behind (Bengaluru folks, we know your pain!).Plus, imagine how this would reduce emissions.And this can be much more easily achieved through planned infrastructure development.What's more, this is a goal even a developing country like India could aspire to achieve.And it should!As we near 76 years of independence, we should try to make our cities smart and green as it can better the standard of our living, boost employment and also bring in more foreign investment.<br><br>So, why isn't Saudi Arabia taking this more laid-back approach to creating a utopia?Well, because the country doesn't just want to better the lives of the people. It has an ulterior motive.You see, whatever the country is, it is because of its oil wells. But oil is so last season now.Nowadays, hydrogen, lithium, solar and hydropower are the energy resources in fashion.Which is why it is going the Dubai way: becoming a tourist destination which is always in fashion.<br><br>While Dubai has managed to achieve this status (by not setting impossible standards for itself), Saudi Arabia's pivot is seeming more and more impossible each day.And given the Evergrande crisis and the current global economic situation, the country may not find too many investors ready to invest in this near impossible infrastructure project.So, will Saudi Arabia's dream city ever come to life?