People and the Planet The challenges of an Urban World - 6

The challenges of an Urban World

1. How have cities grown and what challenges do they face?
Urbanisation: An increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas. - Natural Increase When the birth rate is greater than the death rate ural Urban !igration When people !ove to to"ns and cities fro! the countr#side due to push and pull factors Push factors $negatives of rural areas% &ac' of (ob opportunities in the countr#side &ac' of invest!ent b# govern!ent in rural areas Natural disasters such as drought or floods can result in fa!ines Increased !echanisation of agriculture results in less de!and for labour Insufficient land and overpopulation in areas cause lac' of suitable land Pull factors $positives of urban areas% )igher "ages * greater (ob availabilit# in cities TN+s in particular !a# provide "or' opportunities in factories ,etter services provided- e.g. piped "ater in cities as "ell as education* healthcare .erception of e/cite!ent- pace and bright lights of cit# life

+ities in developing countries are gro"ing !uch faster than cities in developed countries "here fe" urban areas are e/periencing an# increase in population. 0o!e developed "orld cities are reducing in si1e as people !ove to the countr#side for larger houses and gardens. In developing countries- the urban population is gro"ing because of natural increase. The birth rate is higher than the death rate. There is also !igration fro! rural areas to urban areas. This is called urbanisation. 2an# people are !oving to the cities because agriculture is beco!ing !ore !echanised and there are fe"er (obs so people !ove to find "or'. 3rought and other natural disasters !a# also force people to !ove $push factors%. 4enerall# urban areas provide people "ith better living conditions- such as piped "ater- electricit#- health care and higher "ages $pull factors%. There are also !an# (obs available- particularl# "ith the develop!ent of 5free trade 1ones $6T7s% "hich attract !an# Trans National +o!panies $TN+s%.

2ega +ities: Urban areas "ith a population of 89 !illion or !ore 2ega +it#: 3eveloped +ountr# New Yor ! U"# Ne" :or's population gre" fro! 8;.< !illion in 8;;9 to == !illion in =989 $8=> increase% 2ega +it#: 3eveloping +ountr# $e%ico &ity! $e%ico 2e/ico +it#s population gre" fro! 8? !illion in 8;;9 to =8 !illion in =989 $@9> increase%

In Ne" :or' =6> of the population are under =9 In 2e/ico +it# AA> of the population are under =9 #ears old #ears old. 2uch of this is due to high rates of rural urban !igration. Ne" :or' is e/panding slo"l#- as people continue to !ove to the suburbs. .opulation densit# is lo"er: 8B99 people * '!=. 2an# people live in large suburban ho!es. 2ost people "or' in for!al e!plo#!ent. Tertiar# services such as finance are !ost i!portant. ?9> of people "or' in tertiar# industries. 2an# TN+ headCuarters located here. 2e/ico +it# is e/panding rapidl# as !ore and !ore people !ove to the edges of the cit#. Its si1e has increased b# ?A> bet"een 8;;9 and =989. .opulation densit# is high: ;B99 people * '!=. There is often overcro"ding in shant# to"ns. 2anufacturing is !ore i!portant to 2e/ico +it# $89> !ore e!plo#!ent than Ne" :or'%. 0ervices are less i!portant A9>. 2an# people are e!plo#ed in infor'al "or' e.g. street trading.

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Urban challenges in the developing "orld

0lu! )ousing )o!es are built fro! scrap !aterial on spare land $often unsafe fro! flooding or too steep% No electricit#- clean running "ater- se"age or "aste disposal. This can lead to diseases. +ri!e rates can be high.

.ollution Traffic congestion and poorl# !aintained cars generate air pollution. This can lead to health proble!s. As cities spread out"ards "ildlife habitats are destro#ed as "ell as agricultural land. ivers and seas are used as dustbins da!aging the habitats of "ildlife and "ater supplies.

D!plo#!ent 2ost people are e!plo#ed in the infor!al sector $e.g. street trading% because there are not enough for!al (obs. Infor!al "or' is unreliable and poorl# paid. .eople have no benefits or (ob securit#.

Urban +hallenges in the developed "orld (esource consu'ption is ver# high in developed "orld cities. This leads to high ecofootprints.

6ood 2ost food is i!ported- therefore increasing pollution $food !iles%. Too !uch is "asted in developed "orld cities.

Dnerg# The consu!ption of energ# is ver# high as people de!and a high standard of living and have !an# goods "hich need electricit#. 2uch of the energ# co!es fro! fossil fuel po"er stations "hich create greenhouse gases.

Transport Traffic congestion is high due to high car o"nership and large nu!bers of co!!uters * deliveries. This increases air pollution and can lead to health proble!s.

Waste &arge a!ounts of "aste are produced due to pac'aged goods and consu!eris!. 2uch goes to landfill sites "hich are beco!ing full.

). How far can these challenges be 'anaged?

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Dco footprints: 2easure the a!ount of land reCuired to support peoples lives in ter!s of food"ater- energ# and "aste disposal. Dco foot prints var# fro! place to place. *co+foot prints vary with develop'ent. .eople in less developed countries have lo"er eco-foot prints than those in !ore developed countries. This is because people in developed countries can afford different lifest#les $cars- TEs etc% and higher levels of consu!ption $bu# lots of goods%. This !a'es their de!ands on the earth !uch greater than less developed countries. *co+footprints vary with location. .eople "ho live in rural areas "ill often have lo"er eco-foot prints than those in urban areas. This is because the# "ill often produce their o"n food $and so!eti!es po"er% and create less "aste. *co+foot prints vary between cities. 0o!e cities are "ealthier than others so people can afford to spend !ore !one# on goods. 0o!e cities "ill have high co!!uter populations "hich "ill increase their eco-foot print. How are developed world cities reducing their eco+footprints? *.g. ,ondon

To reduce eco-footprints the govern!ent is developing sustainable co!!unities and ecoto"ns. These are !ore successful "hen built on brownfield sites rather than on greenfield sites. *.g. -ed.*/ Near +ro#don- 0outh &ondon- UF Is a sustainable co!!unit#- built on a bro"nfield site $on reclai!ed land%- loo'ing to reduce its eco+footprint. It does this b#: educing energ# consu!ption b# using energ# efficient light bulbs and natural light 69> of "aste is rec#cled and co!posting food "aste is encouraged 2a'ing energy efficient buildings "hich store heat in "ar! periods and release it "hen it is cold. The buildings are !ade fro! recycled or natural 'aterials. The# produce renewable energy "hich is used in ho!es. The la#out of the co!!unit# pro!otes wal ing- cycling and using public transport 7edcars car sharing club and local free electric changing points

0olutions to proble!s of transport in &ondon include: &ongestion charge .eople are charged G89 * da# to drive in the centre of &ondon ,ow *'ission 0one +harges G899 - G=99 * da# for vehicles over A.? tonnes Dncouraging people to wal or cycle to "or' to cut do"n on congestion and pollution in the cit# centre. -arclay1s &ycle hire and "uperhighways "che'es. 6999 ne" bi'es are for hire in &ondon- "ith @99 doc'ing stations around the capital. 0uperhigh"a#s are being built to i!prove c#cling in &ondon. Hther ideas to !a'e transport !ore sustainable include:

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.ar' and ride sche!es have been introduced- "here people par' outside the cit# and travel to the centre b# public transport. This reduces congestion and environ!ental pollution. ,uilding tra!s "hich use electricit#- and do not e!it pollution $e.g. +ro#don% How can developing world cities 'anage social and environ'ental changes? "elf+help "che'es. D.g. ocinha 0lu!- io de Ianeiro- ,ra1il ocinha is a slu! "ith a population of 899-999. 0elf-help sche!es provided residents "ith bric's and ce!ent and residents "or'ed to !a'e the i!prove!ents to ho!es the!selves. Hften "or'ing as a co!!unit#. 2an# i!prove!ents have been !adeprogress has been slo" due to the si1e and unplanned nature of ocinha though. +o!!unit# Hut each .rogra!!e $+H .% "or's in slu!s in 2u!bai to educate street children and help the! learn s'ills and trades. It has helped !an# children and adults i!prove their Cualit# of life although funding can var# fro! #ear to #ear. +heap- reliable and green transport is provided b# the cit#. There is also a 5green e/change "hich gives free food and bus tic'ets to poor fa!ilies in e/change for "aste rec#cling. It is a ver# successful sche!e but "ould be difficult to adapt to a larger cit# li'e 2u!bai.

N23s. D.g. +H . and N4H in 2u!bai- India

Urban Planning. D.g. +uritiba,ra1il

)o" successful are green cities in reducing pollutionJ 2e/ico +it#- 2e/ico The govern!ent has introduced a sche!e to li!it peoples car use and cut carbon e!issions. .eople can onl# drive in the cit# on certain da#s depending on their nu!ber plate $a sche!e called 5)o No +ircula%. It has reduced pollution K ho"ever !an# "ealth# people have (ust bought a second car and because the cit# is still gro"ing so too is car o"nership. 2e/ico +it# has invested in i!proving buses and public transport. This has helped to cut congestion and pollution in the cit# as !ore people use public transport. The govern!ent has created a fund to repair buses $"hich !a'es the! !ore efficient and pollute less% so !ore people no" use the!. This is good for the environ!ent. )o"ever as the buses are often old- spare parts are e/pensive and it is so!eti!es a "aste of !one# as the buses are li'el# to brea' do"n.

2adsar +it#- United Arab D!irates A ne" cit# built and designed to be environ!entall# friendl#. It uses rene"able energ# and electric cars to reduce its eco-footprint. )o"ever it is ver# e/pensive and so!eti!es the ne" technolog# it uses ta'es !uch longer to develop than first thought so dela#s are co!!on. 2adsar also uses "ater to cool the air. Water is ver# scarce in the desert.

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