Changing urban environments: Contempary Urban Issues Flashcards
What are the problems of air pollution?
- in 2014, WHO discovered that urban air pollution was 2.5x higher than recommended levels in approx half of all monitored cities
- long term health risk (e.g. heart disease, stroke, cancer and respiratory illnesses
- around 9400 Londoners died prematurely due to air pollutants
- wet or windy conditions blow the pollution away, unlike still, hot weather known as ‘pollution episodes’
How is vehicle control a way to manage air pollution?
- congestion charges in central London since 2003, Ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) is introduced from Sept 2020 meaning people will be charged driving through London during working hours if your vehicle does not comply with zero/low emissions
- bus/carpooling lanes and upgrading buses to low/zero emissions
- cycle/pedestrian routes
- park and ride
- greater use of water ways
How do clean air acts manage air pollution?
- 1956: introduced smoke free zones
- 1990s: local councils required to monitor pollution
- 2015: clean up rules and dust suppressants enforced at industrial sites
How does zoning industry help manage air pollution?
Industry must be located downwind in cities and factor chimneys must be higher to emit pollutants above the inversion layer.
How does sustainable cities help to manage air pollution?
Energy efficient buildings/houses, public transport, managed waste, green space (8.3 million trees in London provide enough air filtration to prevent £95 million worth of health costs)
What is water pollution?
Contamination of water sources (rivers, lakes, oceans, aquifers and groundwater)
Causes:
- surface run-off
- industrial waster
- sewage
- rubbish dumps/toxic waste
- air pollution leading to acid rain
What are the impacts of water pollution?
- over 1.2 billion people lack access to clean water, and water-bourne infections make up 80% of all infectious diseases worldwide.
- heavy metals from industrial processes lead to birth defects and cancers
- industrial waste contains toxins, fish eat in and humans eat fish
- sewage can lead to cholera and typhoid resulting in high infant mortality in LICs
Organic matter can increase algae levels which leads to the suffocation of aquatic animals due to depletion of oxygen - particles in fresh water reduces the quality of drinking water and can prevent photosynthesis for underwater plants
How is Low Impact Development (LID) a water pollution management strategy?
Vegetation and permeable surfaces to reduce storm water run-off, organic pollutants, oils and heavy metals
How is the regulation, legislation and enforcement a management strategy for water pollution?
Anti-pollutant laws need to be enforced strictly, some cities have introduced incentive based approaches charging increasing amounts as pollution levels increase. Encourages people to buy wastewater treatment technologies
How is education and awareness a water pollution strategy?
The more people that know, the more likely to reduce the problem. In 2014, the Wessex water campaign, to stop people flushing wet wipes
Why do we need appropriate technology to help manage water pollution?
LIC ‘omniprocessor’: boils raw sewage sludge allowing water vapour to be separated from the solids. Solids are then burnt which drives the processors engine. Water is then treated and used.
Furthermore, how is improvements in sewage and wastewater technology good for managing water pollution?
River Ganges contains 1,500,000 fecal coliform bacteria per litre, but 500 is the safe limit to swim in.
Thames Tideaway Tunnel is under construction as in 2013 alone, 55 million tonnes of raw sewage was washed into the Thames.
What are the main reasons for dereliction?
- out-migration of skilled people from urban areas will leave behind a lower-skilled and less qualified population ( so area becomes less economically active)
- decline of housing quality (increase in density may lower housing quality)
- the loss of industry can also lead to dereliction
- impact of past urban planning decisions
