Saudi Arabia's crown prince on Sunday has announced a project to build a 'zero-carbon city' at NEOM in northwestern Saudi Arabia, as reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA). Prince Mohammed bin Salman declared through a video of the project 'The Line', which will shelter a million people with no cars or roads.
"Throughout history, cities were built to protect their citizens. After the Industrial Revolution, cities prioritized machines, cars and factories over people. In cities that are viewed as the world's most advanced, people spend years of their lives commuting. By 2050, commute durations will double. By 2050, one billion people will have to relocate due to rising CO2 emissions and sea levels. 90% of people breathe polluted air. Why should we sacrifice nature for the sake of development?'" he asks in the vide.
"Why should seven million people die every year because of pollution? Why should we lose one million people every year due to traffic accidents? And why should we accept wasting years of our lives commuting?" the crown prince said during the announcement.
The project is a direct response to some of the most pressing challenges facing humanity today such as legacy infrastructure, pollution, traffic, and human congestion.