NEOM climate advisor Donald Wuebbles has warned that THE LINE city in Saudi Arabia could alter local weather patterns. Speaking to newspaper Financial Times, Wuebbles explained how he had informed NEOM that the scale of the development means it may impact weather patterns and the path of sand storms.

Wuebbles is a professor in the department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois and an author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's reports.

According to the Financial Times, as a paid advisor to NEOM, he "repeatedly raised the question of how the project's linear city, ski fields and islands could change their local environments and weather systems".

NEOM was approached for comment, but did not reply. A representative told the Financial Times that the development aimed to have a lower environmental impact "compared to traditional construction projects".

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