Changing Urban environments

Changing Urban environments

1. Urbanisation

   • The growth of the proportion of a countries population living in urban areas.
   • More than 50% of the worlds population live in urban areas (3.4 billion people)
   • It differs between richer and poorer countries
     • In richer coutries, most of the population already live in urban areas
       • In the UK- over 80% of its population live in urban areas
     • In poorer countries not much of the population currently live in urban areas.
       • In Bangladesh- around 25% of the population live in urban areas.
     • Most urbanisation that is happening today- is going on in poorer countries at a fast pace.
   • Many highly populated cities are located very close or on the coast of their country
   • Why do people move to urban areas?
     • LEDCs
       • There is usually a shortage of services in rural areas- eg, education water, power
       • Many people believe that the standard of living is better in the cities (eventhough it may not be)
       • There are more jobs in the urban areas
         • Industry is attracted to the cities as there is better infrastructure and a larger workforce
       • In rural areas many people farm their own food- so during poor harvests and crop failure they face starvation and no money.
     • MEDCs
       • People moved from rural to urban for work
         • Most urbanisation in rich countries took place in the 18th and 19th centuries
       • In the late 20th century people moved away from inner city areas and went to the country- they are now being encouraged into these redeveloped areas.
   • Many young people move to cities to find jobs
     • They then have children and cause the population of the city to rise.

2. Functional parts of a settlement

   • A settlement is a group of buildings and homes where people live- eg, village, town, city.
   • The function of a town or zone is its purpose- eg, for residential, recreational use,etc.
   • A city is usually made of four or five parts.
     • CBD- Central Business District
       • This part is at the centre of the city.
       • It has lesiure and entertainment facilities- theatres, restaurants, etc.
       • It also has the government buildings, universities, offices and train stations.
     • Inner city
       • This part is found around the CBD
       • It used to contain he manufacturing industry but has closed down- leaving derelict land.
       • It provided cheap housing for factory workers.
       • Houses are arranged in a grid pattern- leaving no green spaces.
       • It is quite popular with people who work in the CBD.
     • Suburbs
       • This zone covers the largest area in most cities
       • It is mostly residential- it is quite expensive to live here.
       • Its popular with families
       • The houses get bigger and newer the further out you go. They go from attatched to dettached
     • Rural-Urban Fringe
       • Its on the edge of the city and is almost countryside
       • New housing estates are sometimes built here.
       • Big retail, lesiure parks and supermarkets are built
       • It has lots of green space, villages and recreational facilities -like golf and stables.

3. Issues facing urban areas in MEDCs

   • Housing
     • Greenfield
       • Sites which have never been built on- usually at the edge of the city on the rural-urban fringe -out of the way of the cities with more space .
     • Brownfield
       • Sites which have already been built on- they have usually been abandoned. Derelict buildings/ estates are knocked down and rebuilt on.
     • Cities in richer countries often have shortages of good quality housing.
       • The UKs population has risen by over 10% since 1971 and by 2025 it is predicted that the population will be over 65 million.
       • Cities use many methods to try and reduce the effects of the housing shortage
         • Urban renewal schemes
           • They encourage investment in new housing, services, and employment in derelict inner city areas.
           • Widely used in the 1990s
         • New Towns
           • To accommodate overspill populations from existing towns and cities where there is a housing shortage.
           • Milton Keynes is a well known example- building started in 1970.
         • Relocation Incentives
           • These encourage people living in large council houses- (who don't need a large house or need to live in the city) to move to more rural areas.
           • They free up space in the urban areas for people who need to live in the city- eg, working families
           • The London council runs a scheme that encourages older people (who live in big city houses) to move to the seaside or countryside.
             • The scheme helps them move out and gives them money.
   • Run down CBDs
     • Due to online shopping
     • Shops can find cheaper rent elsewhere
     • Out of town business parks and shopping centres
     • Other centres are more easy to access
     • Revitalizing CBDs
       • Pedestrianising areas to make them more attractive and safe for shoppers
       • Improving access with better public transport links and better parking.
       • Converting derelict warehouses and docks into new attractions
       • Improving areas like parks to make them more attractive
     • The London Docklands
       • Between 1960 and 1980, all of London's docks were closed, leaving around eight square miles (21 km²) of derelict land in East London.
       • During ww2 there were vast amounts of bomb damage to the docks
       • As soon as the docks closed there were efforts to redevelop them.
         • The massive development programme managed by the London docklands development corporation during the 1980s and 1990s saw a huge area of the Docklands converted into a mixture of residential, commercial and light industrial space.
   • Traffic and congestion
     • More air pollution
     • Increased risk of accidents
     • People waste time in traffic and don't reach places in time
     • Solutions
       • Congestion Charges
         • People have to pay to use their cars in the city centre- this discourages car use
           • This reduces traffic congestion and traffic jams
           • Reduces pollution
           • Reduces the risk of accidents
           • However people may still use cars in other areas and there will still be pollution
       • Park and ride services
         • People leave their cars in car parks in a allocated area and use the bus to travel to the city centre- eg, Cambridge
           • There is less congestion (more people can share one bus instead of many cars)
           • Less pollution and risk of accidents as there aren't as many cars on the road
           • However, the roads are small and buses can be inconvenient for pedestrians etc
       • Cycle routes
         • Part of the road is given to cyclists, to encourage more people to use their bikes
           • Cyclists are safer and less likely to crash into cars etc
           • Less congestion as there are less cars
           • However, cycle routes aren't always used and it is expensive to build them all over the city (especially if it is hilly)
       • Public transport
         • People can use the tubs, trains, buses, trams etc.
           • Stops congestion and pollution as people are "sharing" transport and not using their own cars
           • However these services have huge amounts of people using them- they may become busy and delayed as a result.
       • Pedestrianisation of CBD areas
         • More areas for people to walk in the city centres-Eg people can get the train to the CBD and walk to their offices etc.
           • Less cars means less pollution and clearer roads.
           • However some people may not want to walk so much and would still rather take the car.
   • Ethnic Segregation
     • People from different ethnic backgrounds don't mix for many reasons
       • People prefer to live around those with similar backgrounds and who speak the same language as them
       • People prefer to live near their places of worship that are important to their culture
       • New migrants usually have low paid jobs and can only afford to live in certain areas
       • New migrants tend to live near family and friends.
     • Solutions
       • Ensuring everyone can access information- eg, printing leaflets in many languages.
       • Improving communication
         • By involving leaders of different ethnic groups when making decisions
       • Providing interpreters- in hospitals, police stations etc
       • Providing English classes for adults.

4. Squatter Settlements

   • These are settlements in undesirable and dangerous places
     • The land may be contaminated by factories
     • They may be near railways of slopes where there is the risk of landslides
     • There is the risk of flooding
     • They are in undesirable places and the inhabitants have no right to build on the land
     • The land is unoccupied so people move in and build their homes
     • They are built illegally in and around the city (by people who cant afford proper housing)
   • Found in LEDCs
   • What are they like?
     • They are built form scrap metal, plastic, wood planks (anything people can find)
     • They are large over crowded homes with up to 30 people- usually with only 2 rooms.
     • There is no basic infastructure
       • NO electricity
       • NO road access
       • NO Clean running water
       • NO drains or sewers
     • There is very bad sanitation
       • Water is contaminated with faeces, rubbish and urine.
       • Diseases like typhoid, diarrhoea, and cholera are common and spread quickly due to the overcrowding and poor hygeine
   • They are called favelas in South America, and in other countries they are called slums or shanty towns.
   • Employment
     • Zero tax- cash in hand. So other people don't know what they are earning
     • People earn very low wages and they do illegal jobs; eg, selling goods, washing windscreens at traffic lights
       • NO pension
       • NO healthcare benefits
     • People often work very long hours with little pay- the government doesn't monitor the jobs.
     • Informal sector- informal economy, or grey economy is the part of an economy that is neither taxed, nor monitored by any form of government.
   • Improving Squatter settlements
     • People living in these settlements try to improve the area themselves
       • The neighbours work together to help build - some have even built small schools
     • Self-Help Schemes
       • Inhabitants work with building supplies provided by the government to improve life in the settlement.
       • The local people build their own homes, and the money saved on labour is used to provide services like electricity and sewers.
     • Site and Service Schemes
       • People pay a small amount to rent for a site- and they can borrow money for building supplies
         • The rent money is used to provide basic services
       • People can improve/ build a house on their plot
     • Local service schemes
       • These are funded by the local government and improve the temporary accomodation built by residents.
         • Eg, the City of Rio spent $120 million on the Favela-Bairro project which is aimed to improve life for the residents

5. Improving Kibera

   • Kenya Slum Upgrading Programme (KENSUP)
     • Provides modern, low-cost housing.
       • With electricity
       • A kitchen
       • shower
       • Small balcony
     • The first 17 high-storey flats were built in 2009 and are now home to 5,000 relocated residents
     • The new residents' old homes are cleared to leave space to improve infrastructure
   • Site and Service schemes
     • Sanitation
       • The charity: "Practical Action" built 15 blocks of 4 toilets which are run by a local attendant.
       • People are charged 2 Kenyan Shillings to use the facilities (all money is invested in maintenance of the facilities)
       • New hand-washing stations have been installed in 8 schools
       • Local clinics report cases of infections and diseases
     • Water
       • The Kenya Water for Health Organisation installed 3 large water tanks with new water taps
         • This reduces the distance that 2,500 households are away from water
         • Each tank holds 6000 litres and serves more than 2,000 people in the area with water for cooking and drinking
     • Roads and Drains
       • UN-HABITAT constructed a 2.5km road, 1.8km of storm water drains (which reduce flooding and disease risk) and had improved footbridges to improve the movement of people and goods in kibera
   • Self Help Schemes
     • Trash is cash is a scheme set-up by local youth groups to educate young people about waste collection and recycling etc.
       • Each group has 60 members and provides a basic door-to-door waste collection service
       • People can take their waste to a collection centre where youths sort it.- 2,000 tonnes of waste was collected last year
     • Hygiene campaigns
       • Practical action ran a campaign to raise awareness of hygiene and sanitation issues- mostly aimed at younger mothers and school children
       • 2500 mothers were reached and 4,000 children from 8 schools were reached

6. Rapid Urbanisation in LEDCs

   • Lots of rubbish and waste produced
     • People in cities create huge amounts of waste which can damage peoples health and the environment. Especially if its toxic and not disposed of quickly
     • Poorer countries struggle to dispose of this waste
       • Money
         • Poorer countries cannot afford to dispose of waste safely
         • Eg, toxic waste has to be treated and this can be expensive
         • There are usually more urgent things for money to be spent on- heathcare etc
       • Lack of Infastructure
         • Poor roads in squatter settlements mean waste disposal lorries can't collect rubbish
       • Scale
         • A large city will generate thousands of tonnes of waste everyday
   • Overcrowding
   • Less jobs
   • Air pollution
   • Water pollution
   • Effects of rapid urbanisation and industrialisation
     • More air pollution
       • Can lead to harmful acid rain which damages buildings and vegetation
       • Leads to many health problems (like headaches and bronchitis)
       • The ozone layer can be damaged by some pollutants
       • Management
         • Setting air quality standards and monitoring pollutant levels (so they stay at a safe level)
     • More water pollution
       • Can kill fish and other aquatic animals
       • Disrupts food chains as harmful chemicals build up and poison humans who eat fish from the polluted water
       • Contamination of water supplies can spread diseases like typhoid
       • Management
         • Building sewage treatment plants
         • Passing laws that make factories clean their waste water

7. A Sustainable City

   • Where residents have a way of life that will last a long time. The environment is not damaged, local people can earn a steady income and are involved in decision making
   • Reducing and safely disposing waste
     • Less is produced so less goes to landfill sites
     • People are encouraged to compost/recycle more
     • Kerbside recycling and recycling centres re provided
   • Using brownfield sites
     • This recycles land and avoids cities growing in size
     • Saves the surrounding countryside
   • Including local people in decision making
     • Local councils consult people about a wide range of things
     • Eg, where homes should be built and how local health and social care services are run
   • Providing efficient public transport schemes
     • Integrated transport systems run door-to-door services to encourage people to leave their cars
   • Providing adequate open spaces
     • Green, open spaces are vital for making cities sustainable
     • They act like the "green lungs" of the city and reduce the CO2 pollution
     • Urban parks support a range of wildlife and provide recreational oppurtunities
   • Conserving the natural environment
     • Renewably generating electricity
     • Collecting water and recycling it (instead of using reservoirs)
     • Running fuel efficient public transport systems- with less pollution
   • Conserving the historic environment
     • They must conserve the buildings they already have
     • Turning old warehouses into apartments and industrial buildings
     • Run-down old houses can be redeveloped to provide housing that will last
     • Canals become leisure facilities

Bilder und Dateien der Mindmap