Sustainable Urban Futures: Transportation and Development in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Neom

This study explores sustainable urbanism in the three largest Saudi Arabian cities—Riyadh, Jeddah, and NEOM—in the context of Vision 2030. Qualitative methodology was used, which incorporated environmental, social, economic, governance, and mobility aspects. The analysis of ten semi-structured interviews with planners, engineers, and policy officials was based on Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), Sustainable Urbanism, and Participatory Governance models. The results indicate that Riyadh presents structural congruence and consistency of policies, Jeddah is characterized by disjointed governance and poor coordination, and NEOM is characterized by futuristic aspirations with unpredictable social inclusiveness. The paper highlights that more powerful integration of governance, participatory planning, and realistic implementation is required to create a balance between technological innovations and equity in society. It adds to the current knowledge of how the global sustainability models can be localized in the fast-changing cities of the Gulf.