Year 9 - The Urban Environment - Revision GuideKey terms; Urban areas = built up areas, eg. cities and towns. Urbanisation = an increase in the percentage of people in urban areas.

The world is increasingly urban

1965 – 34% of people live in urban areas. 2015 – 52% of people live in urban areas.Key points;

Rapid growth in the number of mega-cities (cities with over 10 million people). Biggest increase in urban population has been in Asia (India, China, Indonesia) Africa is likely to experience fastest growth in urban areas in the near future. Europe is not seeing the same increase as most people already live in cities. HICs see lowest growth, LICs and NEEs see highest growth

Urban areas face increasing threats from environmental hazards- eg. Beijing, China

Beijing has a huge amount of industry (factories) - check the labels in your clothes! BUT… while these factories bring jobs, money and development for China they also bring environmental problems;

Air pollution from increased traffic, coal-fired power stations and factories causes toxic smog which contains dangerous chemicals.

This air pollution has been linked to lung cancer, heart disease, asthma etc. Water pollution causes stomach cancer and sickness etc;

Factories illegally pumping toxic waste into rivers

Maps to show cities with over 5 million people in 1965 and 2015 (BBC)

Untreated sewage pumped into rivers

etc. Air pollution– CO2. This is a global problem, the CO2 is a greenhouse gas which

traps the sun’s heat causing global warming, sea level rise and other issues.

What are the opportunities and challenges created by urbanisation in LICs and NEEs?

Why are urban areas growing in LICs and NEEs?

Challenges; 1) The cost of medical care for those affected. 2) Cost of the infrastructure needed to deal with the sewage and toxic waste. 3) Fighting corruption to stop illegal dumping of waste. etc…

1. Rural-urban migration -people move to the cities from rural areas because… Pull factors / reasons to come to city – better paid jobs, better services

(education, healthcare, water supply, sanitation and toilets, electricity…). Push factors /reasons to leave village – few jobs (farming), few services

2. Natural increase (when birth rate is higher than death rate).

Eg. A good example of this is Mumbai in India – large numbers of people are moving from rural areas to Mumbai hoping for a better life.

Opportunities created by urban growth in LICs and NEEs

1) Opportunities for migrants in Urban Areas

Why do people move to cities? – Social opportunites = better services (see above) Economic opportunities = for better paid jobs (factories pay more than farming)

2) Urban industrial core areas can be a stimulus for economic development (that means… factories make money for a country so it can improve!)

Eg. In Mumbai factories are built and can make good profits due to cheap building costs and cheap labour provided by large numbers of rural-urban migrants. This means that more money is made and taxes paid so that the government can afford to develop the country by building schools, hospitals and other infrastructure.

Foreign companies invest, eg. Nokia in Mumbai and this creates more tax income, more jobs and attracts more foreign companies.

As more workers earn more money this creates a multiplier effect in the area and the entire area becomes better off creating even more tax money for the government.

Challenges created by urban growth in LICs and NEEsRural-urban migrants

TaxesFactories

CASE STUDY – MUMBAI , INDIA A CITY IN AN LIC / NEE

Dharavi

Responding to the Challenges…

Improving conditions in urban areas in LICs and NEEs

1) Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA) in Dharavi, Mumbai.

The slum dwellers who have lived in Dharavi Slum since 1995 will be moved to new 14 story apartments as proposed by the cities Slum Rehabilitation Authority (SRA).

Apartments have toilets, clean water and electricity. There are also medical centres and schools being built.

BUT, this will separate communities and make people work away from where they live. Many people will not be relocated, they will be left homeless. These apartments are very small and are not good for community spirit. Potteries and other factories wil be shut down which means people lose their jobs.

2) Mexico City had a huge problem with air pollution due to increased traffic and industry.

They improved air quality by building excellent public transport including the STC metro system, buses and bicycle-hire schemes. This reduced the number of car s on the roads.

Clean water and waste water schemes

Apartments built for people moved out of Dharavi Slum. Many don’t want to move.

The world Bank has installed a water pipe in Kibera, Nairobi, kenya where water is charged at a lower rate.

Charities have set up water supplies in schools and communities. They also try to build better toilets.

Urban change in London has provided opportunites;

CASE STUDY – LONDON, UK, A CITY IN AN HIC

London is in SE England, UK.

Population of 8.5 million. It is the capital city of the UK. It is also the financial and business capital. Many people work in London. Many global companies (TNCs) have offices in London.

It is an international centre for banking and many other financial services.

Heathrow is one of the world’s busiest airports. London has many internationally respected universities. London is a multicultural and diverse city with many

opportunities for recreation and entertainment. London provides many opportunities for employment.

Multiculturalism New jobs Intergrated transport urban greening

Urban change in London has created challenges

• Urban deprivation, inequalities in housing, education, health and employment (poor areas with high levels of unemployment, crime and poor health).

• environmental: derelict buildings (empty buildings no longer used), building on brownfield sites (sites that were built on in the past) and greenfield sites (sites that have never been built on).

waste disposal

• the impact of urban sprawl on the rural–urban fringe, and the growth of commuter settlements.

Socio-economic Inequalities exist in urban areas in HICsThis means – Cities in countries like the UK have richer areas with less social problems and poorer areas with more social problems – eg. poor quality housing, unemployment, depressing environment, poor health, crime etc.

Urban regeneration Project – Brewery Square, Dorchester

Why was it needed?

The old brewery on the site had shut down years before. The site was disused and looked unattractive (visual pollution). The site is the first thing that tourists see when they arrive at the train station – not good for tourism! The site was not making money for the town – literally a waste of space!

What is the regeneration like?

It is a mixed use development.There is housing, medical centre, offices, retail (shops), many restaurants and bars, a cinema and a large central square with seating areas, fountains and a screen.

How has this improved socio-economic conditions in the area?

Social benefits = places for people to meet with friends and family include the outdoor seating areas, and the fountains for children to play in in the summer. Also a wide variety of places to eat out and a cinema are also available for people to enjoy. There are also many new homes and a medical centre.

Economic benefits = there are a

number of high-order shops (Joules and Phase 8 etc) together with many restaurants (Zizis and Nandos etc) which provide jobs for local people and put money into the local economy. This feeds into a local multiplier effect.

How has this improved environmental quality in the area?

The area has been designed to look attractive with good street lighting and CCTV cameras to reduce crime.There are a range of good quality items of street furniture with places for people to sit and relax. Most areas are pedestrianized reducing noise and pollution from traffic and improving the environmental quality further.

Managing the movement of peope and traffic in urban areasEg. London

In London there was a major problem with congestion costing businesses money and creating noise, visual and air pollution (CO2 which leads to global warming and particulate pollution which creates health problems, eg. asthma.)

The solutions; Congestion charge – people don’t want to pay £11 so take bus etc -> less cars… Bus lanes – buses travel more quickly than cars -> people chose bus -> less cars… Barclays bikes – people hire bikes -> less cars -> less traffic… Cycle lanes – people are safer on bikes so are more likely to cycle -> less cars…

Urban sustainability

Urban sustainability = managing urban areas so that they meet the needs of people now while preserving the area for future generations.

Case study – BEDZED in London ‘Beddington Zero Energy Development’

This is a mixed-use solar urban village in the London Borough of Sutton. It is a carbon-neutral community (overall it produces no CO2). It also aims to be a ‘viable socio-economic community’ (it is a positive environment for people and creates money too).

Work spaces and meeting rooms for local business (economically sustainable). A children’s nursery, community areas and green spaces (socially sustainable)

Secure storage for bicycles = people more likely to cycle = less need for fossil fuels = less CO2 = …

Recycling of as much waste as possible including waste food for compost = preserves resources for future generations.

Work spaces and meeting rooms for local businesses = economically sustainable. Also less commuting!

BEDZED

Other examplesGreening urban areas –

Increasing parks / roof gardens/ trees etc .

This;

Reduces pollution – takes in CO2.

Improves environmental quality – looks attractive. Improves people’s mental health and encourages people to socialise for better

community spirit.

Urban Issues Glossary – learn these words and use them!

Global Urban Growth and causes of urbanisation1 Urban Built up areas – towns and cities.2 Rural Villages and countryside.3 Urbanisation The process by which an increasing percentage of a country's population comes to

live in towns and cities. Rapid urbanisation is a feature of many LICs and NEEs. 4 Mega-cities An urban area with a total population in excess of ten million people. 5 Natural increase The birth rate minus the death rate of a population. 6 Rural-Urban Migration People move from rural to urban areas – especially in LICs and NEEs.7 LIC = Low Income County When a country has a GNI per capita of $1045 or below. Eg. Kenya, India.8 HIC = High Income Country When a country has a GNI per capita of $12746 or above. Eg. USA, UK, Japan.9 NEE = Newly Emerging

EconomiesCountries that have high rates of economic development (GNI is rising fast). Usually with rapid industrialisation (lots of factories). Eg Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS countries).

Opportunities in cities in LICs and NEEs10 Economic opportunities Chance for people to improve their standard of living through employment.11 Social opportunities Chances for people to improve their quality of life, for instance access to

education and health care. 12 Industry Factories; producing goods for sale. Provides employment (jobs).13 Cheap labour People who will work for low wages – therefore factories make good profits.14 Services Something that is provided for people, eg. clean water, healthcare,

education…15 Sanitation Providing clean water and disposing of sewage (toilets and sewers etc)

Challenges in cities in LICs and NEEs16 Squatter

settlementAn area of poor-quality housing, lacking in clean water supply, sewerage and electricity, which often develops spontaneously and illegally in a city in an LIC. Also called slums, etc.

Renewable energy – solar panels on every roof = less need for fossil fuels = less CO2 AND solar energy will not run out.

Large windows face south = less electric light needed= less energy used = less fossil fuels = less CO2 = …

High levels of insulation = less heating needed = less need for fossil fuels = less CO2 = ….

Green spaces including community spaces = places for people to relax and meet = socially sustainable.

Car sharing scheme = less cars need to be built = less resources used up (metals / plastics etc)

17 Open sewers Open trenches in slums to take away sewage and rubbish – risk of disease, eg. cholera.18 Traffic

congestionOccurs when there is too great a volume of traffic for roads to cope with, so traffic jams form and traffic slows to a crawl.

19 Pollution The presence of chemicals, noise, dirt or other substances which have harmful or poisonous effects on an environment. Eg. air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, visual pollution.

Managing issues in cities in LICs and NEEs20 Integrated

transport system

When different transport methods connect together, making public transport easier to use. There will be more demand for public transport and less people will drive cars, which is more sustainable. This may lead to a fall in congestion due to less cars.

21 Brownfield site Land that has been built on and now awaits some new use. Often in the inner city.22 Greenfield site A plot of land, often on the edge of an urban area that has not been built on yet.23 Dereliction Abandoned buildings and wasteland. 24 Inequalities Differences between poverty (poor) and wealthy (rich) areas. Differences in peoples'

health, access to jobs, housing and education. Inequalities in housing, services, crime etc.25 Rural urban

fringeThe zone between the city and the countryside. There is often competition for land use. Often mixed land uses; out of town shopping centres, golf courses, farmland and motorways.

26 Social deprivation

The degree to which an individual or an area is deprived of services, decent housing, adequate income and local employment.

27 Urban sprawl The unplanned growth of urban areas into the surrounding countryside. 28 Urban

regenerationThe revival of old parts of a town or city by either installing modern facilities in old buildings (known as renewal) or redevelopment (knock down old and start again.)

Sustainable Urban Areas29 Urban greening The process of increasing open space such as public parks and gardens in urban areas. 30 Sustainable

urban livingA city which causes minimal damage to the environment, the economy is strong and jobs are secure. There is a strong sense of community, local people help make decisions. There is renewable energy, energy efficiency, use of public transport, accessible services.

31 Waste recycling Extracting (taking out) and reusing useful substances found in waste.