Top-down sustainable urban development? Urban governance transformation in Saudi Arabia

• Published in: Cities 2019-07, Vol.90, p.272-281
• Main Authors: Aina, Yusuf A., Wafer, Alex, Ahmed, Fethi, Alshuwaikhat, Habib M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Administrative procedure; Case studies; Centralization; Cities; Decentralization; Developing countries; Environmental assessment; Environmental policy; Governance; Institutional framework; LDCs; Legislation; Petroleum; Prices; Residents; Saudi Arabia; Sustainability; Sustainable development; Transformation; Urban development; Urban governance; Urban planning; Urban sustainability
• ISSN: 0264-2751; 1873-6084
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cities.2019.03.003

This paper focuses on transformation in sustainable urban governance by examining the prospect of fostering sustainable development through top-down urban governance. It takes a case study of urban development in Saudi Arabia, which had been administered through a centralized framework devoid of the environmental assessment of policies and plans. Urban planning documents made limited references to the environment. Consequently, Saudi cities have been ranked low on environmental sustainability. However, recently, due to the political imperative of addressing the problems, low oil prices, and the Arab Spring, there has been a remarkable transformation in urban governance. The planning of some of the major cities has been decentralized and some policies implemented to curb unsustainable development. This article reviews these changes to investigate how top-down approaches might still be relevant in promoting sustainable development. It concludes that there is a need to implement a framework of legislation and administrative procedures integrated with strategic environmental assessment (SEA) to ensure proper sustainable institutionalised urban governance. The findings could serve as lessons for those operating under similar political contexts especially in developing countries. •Examines the prospect of fostering sustainable development through top-down urban governance•Examines urban governance in Saudi Arabia as a case study•Highlights the transformation in sustainable urban governance in Saudi Arabia•Top-down approach is relevant in promoting sustainable urban governance in some contexts.