welt.de
Mega-Urban Projects Face Challenges: Cost Overruns, Human Rights, and Environmental Hurdles
Three massive urban development projects—Neom in Saudi Arabia, the Great Green Wall in Africa, and Songdo in South Korea—are facing significant challenges, including massive cost overruns, human rights concerns, and slow progress towards their stated goals, despite technological innovation.
- What are the immediate economic and human rights implications of the Neom project in Saudi Arabia?
- Three massive urban development projects—Neom in Saudi Arabia, the Great Green Wall in Africa, and Songdo in South Korea—exemplify ambitious, yet often troubled, attempts at large-scale urban planning and environmental restoration. Neom, initially projected to cost \$140 billion, now faces estimated costs of \$8.8 trillion, raising concerns about economic feasibility and potential human rights abuses. The Great Green Wall initiative, aiming to restore 100 million hectares of land, has achieved less than 1 percent of its goal.
- How have political instability and environmental challenges affected the progress of the Great Green Wall initiative in Africa?
- These projects reveal a pattern of over-ambitious planning coupled with insufficient consideration for local populations and environmental realities. Neom's massive cost overruns and accusations of human rights violations contrast sharply with its futuristic vision. The Great Green Wall's limited progress highlights the challenges of implementing large-scale environmental restoration in politically unstable and environmentally fragile regions. Songdo's relatively low population density despite its technological advancements indicates the difficulties in attracting residents to even well-planned, technologically advanced cities.
- What lessons can be learned from the experiences of Songdo, South Korea, regarding the challenges of creating sustainable and technologically advanced cities?
- Future success for such mega-projects hinges on a shift towards more realistic planning, greater engagement with local communities, and a deeper understanding of environmental constraints. Neom's fate will depend on whether Saudi Arabia can manage its escalating costs and address human rights concerns. The Great Green Wall's long-term viability requires a more adaptable strategy that addresses security challenges and environmental variability. Songdo's experience suggests that technological sophistication alone is insufficient to guarantee successful urban development.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article presents a relatively neutral framing, showcasing both the ambitious goals and the significant setbacks of each project. While the challenges are highlighted, it's not presented in a way that overly criticizes or champions any single project. The inclusion of various perspectives, including criticisms and official statements, contributes to a balanced overview.
Language Bias
The language used is largely neutral and objective. The article avoids loaded terms and instead employs factual reporting. Words like "ambitious," "challenges," and "setbacks" are used descriptively rather than judgmentally.
Bias by Omission
The article presents a balanced overview of the successes and failures of the projects, but it could benefit from including perspectives from those directly affected by the projects, such as the Huwaitat tribe in Neom and residents of Xiong'an. The long-term environmental impacts of each project are also discussed, but a more in-depth analysis from environmental experts would strengthen the article's objectivity. The article mentions criticism of the Saudi Arabian government but doesn't deeply explore the political context surrounding these criticisms.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article describes several large-scale urban development projects (Neom, Songdo, Xiong'an) that, while aiming for sustainability and smart city features, face challenges in achieving their goals. Neom's massive cost overruns, human rights abuses, and scaled-back ambitions demonstrate a lack of sustainable practices. Songdo, despite green spaces and digital infrastructure, suffers from low population density and car dependency. Xiong'an, designed as a green city, is sparsely populated and struggles to attract residents and businesses. These examples highlight difficulties in creating truly sustainable and economically viable large-scale urban projects, contradicting the SDG target of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.