Pathways towards sustainable and healthy cities in Saudi Arabia

This paper examines pathways toward sustainable and healthy cities in Saudi Arabia in the context of rapid urbanization and climate change. It adopts an urban metabolic perspective that conceptualizes cities as dynamic systems shaped by flows of energy, materials, and resources, with infrastructure acting as a key structural component influencing these flows. Infrastructure is understood in its material and urban systems sense as the physical and organizational networks that shape resource flows and environmental exposures. The study investigates this by (i) analyzing the impacts of urbanization on climate change and public health, (ii) reviewing innovative initiatives in global cities that have mitigated environmental and health impacts, and (iii) assessing how these lessons can be adapted to the Saudi Arabian context. Drawing on a systematic literature review guided by the PRISMA framework and comparative case study analysis, the study finds that green infrastructure, sustainable transportation, and community health initiatives represent key pathways for advancing healthier cities. The analysis highlights the importance of integrated urban planning, infrastructure systems, and public engagement as enabling factors. The study contributes to the limited literature on healthy cities in Saudi Arabia and provides policy implications for more resilient, sustainable, and health-focused urban development.