Environmental Issues in Cities

By Varun Reddy

Growing number of people who are moving to cities as time has progressed and trend is predicted to continue

Factors/Reasons

Benefits of Urbanization

● Convenience of goods and services ● Better access to public health and general health care ● More opportunities to find jobs● Increase in labor productivity● Closer to businesses and industries● Improved technology at a faster rate due to need of communication and

marketing ● Reduction of the cost of transporting goods for companies● Aids with the creation and dissemination of information

Cities● While there are many social and economic benefits

of urbanization, there are also environmental problems.

● Cities comprise less than 3% of the Earth's surface, but there is a great concentration of population, industry and energy use, leading to local pollution and environmental degradation.

● In the cities, approximately 78% of carbon emissions are due to human activities.

● The ecological footprints of cities go far beyond their urban boundaries to forests, agriculture, water and other surfaces, which supply their residents so that they have an enormous impact on the surrounding rural, regional and global ecosystem.

Cities

● Cities are centers of consumption, greenhouse gas production, waste and emissions of pollutants in water and air.

● Ecological and sociological footprints of cities have expanded over increasingly large areas

● There are less and less areas in the world which are not under the influence of the dynamics of cities.

● The world faces enormous environmental challenges in terms of climate change, resource use, and protection of the natural environment.

● Urban areas have a high environmental impact that can be felt globally, as well as within its own borders.

Ecological Footprint● The environmental impacts of modern cities go beyond their

surrounding regions. ● Size, rate, and connections of the modern metropolis show a

global impact. ● The ecological footprint is one measure of these effects. ● The ecological footprint of cities is defined as the total amount

of productive land needed to maintain current activities and the removal of waste.

● The ecological footprint of cities such as New York and Tokyo are hundreds of times larger than their actual size and are also faced with problems such as acid rain, reduction of the ozone layer and global warming.

Developing Countries● In the cities of the developing world, population growth is

outpacing the ability to provide the necessary infrastructure and services

● The most serious environmental problems are expected in the immediate vicinity with serious economic and social impacts on the urban population

● Inadequate water supply to households, the accumulation of waste and unhygienic conditions cause unnecessary deaths and illness of one billion of the world population who lives in slums

● Cities in developing countries are faced with the worst urban air pollution in the world, due to rapid industrialization and increased motorized traffic.

● Worldwide urban air pollution is cause of one million premature deaths each year and costs 2% of the GDP in developed countries and 5% in developing countries

Developed Countries

● A US city with 650,000 people needs about 30,000 km to meet their needs, but a less wealthy but big city in India requires only 2,800 km.

● The urban population of developed countries (highest rates of per capita consumption in the world) is largely responsible for this

● Urban population of the developed world produces six times more waste than urban dwellers in developing countries.

● Developing countries are becoming richer and urbaner, and their levels of consumption are increasing.

● They contribute to the global problem of resource depletion and climate change.

● Need to change the cities into more efficient and less polluted areas must be approached.

Environmental problems of modern cities

● Urban environmental problems are mostly inadequate water supply, wastewater, solid waste, energy, loss of green and natural spaces, urban sprawl, pollution of soil, air, traffic, noise, etc.

● All these problems are particularly serious in developing countries and countries with economic transition.

● There is a conflict between the short-term economic plan and the protection of the environment.

● The state of air quality, noise, and congestion have the most concern.● Environmental problems related to industrial production, lodging, and basic

infrastructure are reduced, but the problems of consumption and traffic have increased.

Environmental problems of modern cities

● Cities consume increasing amounts of natural resources, produce more and more waste and emissions, which impact the regional and planetary environment.

● Air and water pollution and waste are the main environmental problems in most cities.

● The underlying causes of air pollution of the city are the processes that are associated with the burning of fossil fuels.

● Noise is also a special form of pollution, which burdens the urban population.

Environmental problems of modern cities

● Urbanization causes numerous effects on water resources● Can change the hydrology, water quality and availability of

aquatic habitats● Deterioration in the quality of ground and river water in the

cities is due to the water consumption of the population and industry

● Contamination caused by industrial activity and the disposal of waste

● The city is marked by large inputs of energy, water, food and a variety of raw materials

● Urban ecosystems have high energy consumption and large amounts of solid waste accumulations

● They represent landscape degradation factor and adversely affect the quality of water resources and urban air

How the Environment is Affected

● Nature: In most cities, a man transformed nature, vegetation was replaced with

concrete, asphalt, and other surfaces, transformed or buried riverbeds, caused city climate and created huge artificial transfers of energy, water, and various substances.

● Climate: Absorption and subsequent re-radiation of heat from built-up areas and

emissions of artificial heat through combustion create an urban heat island

● Water: Built-up areas create artificial impervious surfaces that reduce surface water

supplies, infiltration is gone, surface flow, permeability, and erosion are increased, evaporation is reduced.

● Soil: Human activities negatively impacting pedosphere by increasing chemisation and

mechanization of agriculture

Consequences and Effects of Urbanization

● Environmental problems due to the production and consumption● Pollution problems from major manufacturers and emissions problems

due to the dispersed agents● Social and environmental problems and the consequences of

urbanization (differences between population groups, stress loads, accidents, disease, crime)

What are some of the most populated cities in the world?

Some include:

● Tokyo, Japan● Delhi, India● Shanghai, China● Mumbai, India● São Paulo, Brazil● Beijing, China● Mexico City, Mexico● Osaka, Japan● Cairo, Egypt● New York, USA

Specific Problems Found Globally

● Advancements in technology have spurred researchers and scientists to further explore the numerous problems in the environment that are caused by a variety of factors.

● Future generations will witness the effects of what we have left behind. ● While these issues have and will only continue to worsen, countries around the

world continue to avoid addressing what is happening around them. ● Major cities around the world have experienced these problems such as India

and China.● Countries around the world should take greater action for the climate issues

that are ubiquitous around the world to ensure that we live in a safer and cleaner environment.

India● One critical problem brewing for countless years in

India is the issue of clean potable drinking water. ● Safe drinking water is considered a basic amenity for

most people. ● However, it has become a luxury in many Indian

households, mainly in semi-urban and rural areas. ● Approximately 76 million people do not have access

to safe drinking water because polluted rivers and poor storage infrastructure with an increased population have created a water deficit that is predicted to only worsen as time progresses.

● The people are continuing to suffer and need assistance.

India● National Bureau of Asian Research states that the

water supply in India comes from two main sources, which are from rivers and groundwater.

● However, the rivers are deteriorating due to pollution and industrialization, and the growing population has caused a massive water deficit.

● The largest source of water pollution in India is untreated sewage.

● In developing countries that includes India, about 70 percent of industrial wastes are placed into waters, which pollutes the usable water supply.

● It is clear that the drinking water problem is a serious hazard and intervention must be taken to help enhance the major conflict. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEyxW73F5Fc

Government of India

● Similar to China, the government in India has failed to confront these significant issues.

● “India's water crisis is often attributed to lack of government planning, increased corporate privatization, industrial and human waste and government corruption.”

● The government puts in many more resources for the growth of cities but neglects the consequences.

● Meanwhile, many countries have already conducted several energy and climate policies and intend to advance them further through innovative policy institutions and instruments.

● It is clear that India must give into some of the demands and implement effective policies to deal with this major problem.

What Should Be Done

● Central and state governments should empower local groups with knowledge, understanding, and real-time information on the status of groundwater in order to manage extraction in a cooperative way

● Government should strengthen state pollution control boards to enforce effluent standards

● The technical and human resources currently available to the boards are inadequate to effectively monitor activities, enforce regulations, and convict violators.

● Adequate sewage treatment facilities must be constructed.● Many cities treat only a part, and some no more than half, of the effluent.

China● China is seen as one of the industrial powers and

exports its products around the world. ● Smog has been continuously becoming a

devastating environmental concern for people in China.

● Smog in China has many causes, yet its main cause is pollution from industries and traffic.

● The smog often builds up more in the winter because the decreasing temperatures evoke an increase in the amount of electricity used.

● Large number of families are resorting to their heaters and most of the energy used to run them is from coal-fired power plants that give off tiny particles of charred dust into the air.

● These “tiny particles” change the clean air into smog.

China● Smog can come from many sources but burning of coal

associated with greatest number of deaths ● 366,000 premature deaths were found to be reported in 2013. ● People living in China’s cities cannot bring about reform if they

want to minimise the harm done caused by breathing in the particles.

● Smog has become a part of their life that they cannot escape from.

● It degrades the high standard of living that had initially kept inhabitants in the city from explaining their disapproval with the government’s stance.

● Major cities such as Beijing are in the center of all the factories that contribute to the formation of smog.

● Hence, hazardous effects and inconveniences smog have caused for major cities in China continue to only worsen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaFf82vXXXs

Government of China● Even though the people in China have witnessed

the disastrous consequences caused by smog and have started to voice their opinion, there has not been much reform.

● The government has not funded any significant projects and is instead spending its money on superficial issues that do not directly affect the people.

● Air pollution has trimmed some 25% off life expectancy in China.

● People living in the north of China may lose an average of 5.5 years of their life because of smog’s effects.

● Air pollution has become a political conflict today, and people think that it will only exacerbate when

climate change spreads.

What Should Be Done● Studies assist in finding why air pollution

and climate change are both political priorities for Beijing.

● China is still the world’s largest consumer of coal by far, but the gov’t has made some changes to regulate

● Trying to develop an increased reliance on solar and wind, but this approach still has a long path ahead.

● It is evident that the outcry has shown that China needs to move forward and take action to attempt to relieve this problem.

USA● Some challenge that environmental changes are not real,

however issues are evident and should be taken seriously.● President Trump had stated that climate change is a just a

“hoax” in 2012 and has tried to limit the amount of government intervention.

● In an interview with 60 Minutes, Trump said that he doesn’t not think climate change is a “hoax” anymore, but made clear he still doubts whether humans are driving the phenomenon and thinks whole thing could reverse itself.

● He doesn’t believe it is beneficial for the country to spend its resources and money on.

● Scientists have responded with strong reason and evidence to believe that climate will not be able to reverse back.

● His comments came days after the Nobel Prize-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that the Earth’s temperature could rise 1.5C by as early as 2030.

USA

● Trump has said he will withdraw the US from the Paris agreement, an international pact to limit greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, cars and industry.

● His administration is seeking to roll back all of the country’s significant climate efforts.● Major disasters and challenging long-term weather conditions are weakening local

governments, increasing racial and class inequality, and reducing trust in government.● We have just come out of a period where we experienced multiple hurricanes that

affected the lives of countless people across the country. ● Climate scientists say hurricanes are likely to grow stronger in warming oceans and it will

be incredibly difficult to avoid the intensified heat waves, flooding and extreme storms that will come with higher temperatures caused by humans.

● Hence, the United States government needs to adjust its approach to dealing with climate issues and acknowledge that there is a serious problem.

The Future

● While the cities trigger environmental problems, they can also offer solutions.

● As hot spots of production, consumption and waste generation, cities have the potential to increase the energy efficiency and sustainability of society as a whole.

● Solving these problems is beneficial for the environment, and can improve the health and wellbeing of citizens.

● It should be the basis of development that would make cities more attractive places for living and working.

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