6.2 Urban trends and issues of urbanisation Flashcards
What is urbanisation?
an increasing proportion of population in a geographical area living in urban settlements
What are the causes of urbanisation?
Economic factors:
- Job Opportunities: Industrial/service sectors in urban areas offer diverse employment opportunities, drawing people from rural areas.
- Economic Policies: Government initiatives often favour urban development, leading to increased investments and infrastructure in cities.
- Globalisation: epicentres of global economic activities, including trade, finance, and services.
Social factors:
- Education and Healthcare: offer better access to quality education/healthcare facilities, attracting families seeking improved living standards.
- Lifestyle Aspirations: Urban life perceived as more modern and desirable, influenced by media and cultural exchanges.
- Social Networks: Urban centres provide a platform for broader social interactions and networking opportunities, essential in modern societies.
Political factors:
- Urban-Focused Policies: Governments may prioritise urban development through policies and investments, influencing rural-to-urban migration.
- Decentralisation and Governance: Shifts in political power, from national to local urban authorities, can lead to more effective urban governance and development.
What are the consequences of urbanisation?
Social issues:
- Economic Inequality: Growing wealth disparities between different urban social groups, often leading to segregated neighbourhoods.
- Slums and Gentrification: Rapid urbanisation without adequate housing leads to slum proliferation. Conversely, gentrification can displace long-standing communities.
- Cultural Melting Pot: cultural and social tension.
- Demand and Supply Gap: Rapid urbanisation often outpaces housing supply, leading to shortages and inflated property prices.
- Gentrification Impacts: Upgrading of deteriorated urban areas can lead to displacement of lower-income residents due to rising costs.
- Competition for land: reflected in land prices and property rental prices. Often competition leads to derelict sites, social classes forced into ghettos and poorer people being forced out of the inner city.
How do the causes of urbanisation in MICs differ from those in HICs?
- Urbanisation in (MICs) is primarily driven by industrial expansion and economic opportunities, drawing rural populations to urban centres for employment.
- This trend is coupled with governmental policies favouring urban development, leading to improved infrastructure and services in cities.
- Contrastingly, in High-Income Countries (HICs), urbanisation is more influenced by lifestyle choices and quality of life factors, such as better healthcare, education, and employment prospects in diversified sectors.
- Additionally, international migration plays a significant role in HICs, contributing to urban demographic changes and multicultural societies.
What are the environmental consequences of urbanisation?
Environmental issues:
- Loss of Green Spaces: leads to the conversion of natural areas into urban land, impacting ecosystems and biodiversity.
- Pollution: Increased industrial activity and traffic lead to higher levels of air, water, and noise pollution.
- Climate Change and Urban Areas: Cities facing significant challenges like the urban heat island effect
What are the economic consequences of urbanisation?
Economic issues:
- Taxes: councils can’t raise taxes when many are in poverty/the informal sector, so public services and infrastructure begin to suffer
- Lack of available work: labour influx exceeds demands, so people unemployed. Many unskilled labourers cause wages to decrease – enhances poverty. Factories employ women and children to do dirty and dangerous work.
What is counterurbanisation?
process of population decentralisation, that tends to occur in HICs as people move from urban areas to rural settlements, and adds to the effect of urban decline. In most places counter urbanisation is counteracted by in-migration
What is re-urbanisation?
- movement of people and economic activity back into the CBD and inner/industrial areas.
- May just be a temporary phase as a result of large cash injections, or a result of the changing times (4 million extra houses needed in UK – most will be urban)
What are the causes of counter urbanisation?
- Quality of Life: pursuit of a tranquil, rural lifestyle away from the congested and hectic city life often drives counter urbanisation. People seek peace, open spaces, and a closer connection to nature.
- Technological Advancements: rise of digital communication and remote working opportunities has lessened the necessity of living in urban centres for employment, allowing more freedom in choosing living locations.
- Economic Factors: The increasing cost of urban living, including housing, taxes, and general living expenses, often prompts individuals and families to seek more affordable alternatives in rural areas.
- Environmental Concerns: The desire for a cleaner, more sustainable living environment drives people away from polluted urban centres to greener rural areas.
What are the consequences of counterurbanisation?
- Urban Areas: A decrease in population density can lead to a decline in urban economic activities and a potential reduction in urban service provisions.
- Rural Areas: Rural regions may experience increased pressure on local infrastructure and services, including schools and healthcare, and a shift in the cultural landscape
- Environmental Impact: While counterurbanisation can reduce pollution in urban areas, it often increases transportation emissions due to greater reliance on private vehicles.
What are the causes of re-urbanisation?
- Economic Revitalisation: Investments in urban areas, such as new business parks or shopping centres, can rejuvenate local economies and attract people back to cities.
- Cultural and Lifestyle Appeals: allure of urban areas as cultural and social hubs, offering diverse experiences in arts, dining, and entertainment, plays a significant role in re-urbanisation.
- Transportation Improvements: Enhancements in public transportation, such as more efficient transit systems and better connectivity, make urban living more attractive and convenient.
- Government Policies: Initiatives like housing subsidies, business incentives, and urban regeneration projects encourage people to move back to urban centres.
What is an example of re-urbanisation case study? TBC
London Docklands Development Corporation:
Aims:
- attract private investment
- physically regenerate environment to aid this
- improve living conditions/prospects of the community
Achievement of re-urbanisation case study (London Docklands)
Achievements:
Environmental:
- derelict land/docks regenerated, by 1988 600 hectares reclaimed
- parks and river/dock side paths developed
- old houses improved/new houses built
- £300 million spent on improving utilities
Housing:
- over 50,000 new homes built since 1981
Transport:
- DLR - opened 1987 and cost £73 million (railway)
- however service stopped in evening and had limited service at weekends
- London City Airport opened in 1987
Business:
- Canary Wharf
- Enterprise zone set up on Isle of Dogs: companies that moved here entitled to 10 years tax free and fast track planning
What is an example of counter-urbanisation?
THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE:
Migration Trends: Significant movement of people from London and other major cities to rural areas in England.
Economic Impact: Local economies in rural areas have seen diversification with new businesses and services catering to the new residents.
Environmental Concerns: Challenges include increased traffic and pressure on natural resources in previously quiet rural areas.
What causes competition for land?
Residential Demand:
- increased population/population growth
- affordability influences where people choose to live
- accessibility to employment opportunities/other services
- environmental factors, e.g air quality/pollution
Commercial demand:
- consumer behaviour, e.g rise in online shopping = less need for physical retailers
- innovations in technology
Industrial demand:
- transport networks
- labour availability
- environmental regulations
Recreational demand:
- urban green spaces
- cultural amenities
