G5: Urban Futures Flashcards
What are the patterns of urbanisation in ACs, EDCs/LIDCS & worldwide?
● AC
↳ Most Urbanised, Slowing rate of Urbanisation
● EDC/LIDCs
↳ Least urbanised, increasing rate of urbanisation
● Worldwide
↳ Overall, the rate of urbanisation is slowing
What is the difference between a world city & a megacity?
● Megacity: A city with over 10 million in population
● World city: A city with global economic importance through international trade (TNCs) & being international hubs for communication
What causes cities to grow into megacities, and how has the proportion of people in megacities changed?
● There has been an increasing number of megacities, from 2 in the 1950s to 28 as of 2022. Why do cities grow into megacities... ↳ Natural Increase ↳ Migration ↳ Geographical location ↳ Economic potential
How can world cities be categorised?
● World cities can be categorised into Alpha, beta and gamma based on how important they are to the global economy
● Alpha cities are the most important, with there being subcategories of alpha++, alpha+, alpha & alpha-
↳ The only two alpha++ cities in the world are London & New York
What are the Social, Economic & Environmental Consequences of rapid urbanisation in LIDCs?
● Social:
↳ little adequate/official housing
↳ Infrastructure fails to support growing population
↳ Increase in rates of crime
● Economic:
↳ Increased unemployment due to a lack of work
↳ Informal work sector does little to increase access to education & healthcare
● Environmental:
↳ Congestion produces pollution
↳ Toxic waste & sewage pollutes rivers
↳ Rubbish may not be collected
What are some push factors that provoke rapid urbanisation in LIDCs & EDCs?
● Limited/No education
● Limited/No job opportunities
● Drought can cause harvests to fail (Unreliable income)
● No running water
● No services or facilities, such as hospitals
● Poor transport networks
● Climate change is making growing seasons unpredictable
● War & Conflict
● Natural disasters
● Mechanisation
What are some pull factors that provoke rapid urbanisation in LIDCs & EDCs?
● Schools available ● Factory/Industrial Jobs ● Shops for food purchase ● Chance of a clean water supply ● Wider range of services ● Infrastructure, such as roads & public transport networks ● More diverse range of jobs ● Food can be imported in the event of a food shortage
Why do some cities grow to exist in the first place?
○ Cities have urban functions, providing services to people that cause them to grow in an area. These are…
● Market: A centre for trade
● Employment: Opportunities for jobs in the secondary & tertiary industry
● Administration: The area is organised and properly overlooked
● Defence: Cities protect its citizens from danger & attack
● Entertainment: People seek amusement & cities provide that
● Religion: A centre of worship/destination for pilgrims
● Transport hub: Destination on most public transport routes or at major road intersections
● Residential: Has housing & shelter for people
● Culture: Rich in new ideas & innovation
What is the primary consequence of rapid urbanisation in LIDCs & EDCs?
The primary consequence of rapid urbanisation in LIDC/EDCs is the construction of slums, areas where people inhabit deteriorated buildings or build homes on any available space
Why do some Slums grow?
● Rural-urban migration
● Unemployment: People have no, or low paying, jobs and cannot afford proper housing
● Poor urban planning: Not enough adequate housing built to account for rural-urban migration
● Poor infrastructure & transport networks: Requires people to live where they can easily & quickly access their work
What are some of the opportunities and challenges that slums provide?
○ Challenges…
● Social: Poor Housing, disease, lack of clean water, danger, crime
● Economic: Low paid informal jobs
● Environmental: High pollution levels from cars & construction, waste abundance
○ Opportunities…
● Social: Sense of community, Better services,
● Economic: Transport links, cheap housing, work opportunities
● Environmental: Recycling scheme (80%)
CASE STUDY: Mumbai, a city in an EDC
Where is Mumbai Located?
On the West coast of India, in the state of Maharashtra
CASE STUDY: Mumbai, a city in an EDC
Why is Mumbai regionally, nationally & internationally important?
○ Regionally…
● Growing Hi-Tech quaternary Industry
● Stealing young workforce from neighbouring cities
○ Nationally…
● Provides 33% of income tax
● Is a transport hub (Gateway to India -> Port)
○ Internationally…
● Hot spot for tourism
● Many TNCs base their headquarters here, such as Walt Disney, Volkswagen & the Bank of America
● Largest amount of foreign investment
CASE STUDY: Mumbai, a city in an EDC
What are the causes of urbanisation in Mumbai?
● The Green Revolution has decreased farming jobs in rural areas by introducing widespread machinery and seed varieties
● Better Living standards : Sewage, water & electricity systems
● Farming for long hours and low pay shows no prospects of a better life for young people
CASE STUDY: Mumbai, a city in an EDC
How has internal migration affected Mumbai?
● Mumbai’s population has snowballed from 7,000,000 in 1970s to roughly 20,500,000 as of 2021
CASE STUDY: Mumbai, a city in an EDC
What is one opportunity related to the way of life in Mumbai?
● Within the culture of Mumbai, Tiffins (Small metal canisters containing lunches) are transported by Dabbawallas (workers paid to transport tiffins) to people working in large office blocks
↳ This unique way of life produce job opportunities for people in the form of dabbawallas
CASE STUDY: Mumbai, a city in an EDC
What are the contemporary challenges & the opportunities of living in Dharavi?
○ Opportunities:
↳ 80% of waste is recycled in recycling zone
↳ Cheap Housing, 185 rupees (£2.20) a month
↳ There is a sense of community, where people work together
○ Challenges:
↳ Sewage & toxic waste can pollute rivers & water supplies
↳ Informal, low paid sector jobs
↳ Population Density → Leads to widespread disease
CASE STUDY: Mumbai, a city in an EDC
What is one sustainable initiative in Mumbai?
● Sustainable initiative in Mumbai:
↳ Public Transport reduces overall emissions & congestion
↳ More people per vehicle
↳ Metroline, Buses, Railways etc.
● Auto Rickshaws meant to run on compressed natural gas (cleaner than petrol) but most don’t
CASE STUDY: Birmingham, a city in an AC
Where is Birmingham located?
In the West Midlands, Central England
CASE STUDY: Birmingham, a city in an AC
In what ways is Birmingham a multicultural city?
● Largest Pakistani community in the UK
● The Balti curry was invented here, and it is home to the balti triangle
● There are about 12,000 international students in Birmingham’s universities
CASE STUDY: Birmingham, a city in an AC
What are some causes of urbanisation in Birmingham?
● Secondary jobs in manufacturing in metal work during the Industrial revolution (rural-urban migration)
● 1779, when the city’s first general hospital was built
● Railway to manchester was built in 1837, and to London a year later
CASE STUDY: Birmingham, a city in an AC
How has migration affected Birmingham?
● In the 1850s, the population was roughly 250,000, whereas now, as of 2015, it lies at roughly around 1,300,000
● The majority of Birmingham’s population consists of young, highly-skilled people who have been born or migrated there seeking opportunity. Many of the older people have migrated to the countryside & other rural areas
CASE STUDY: Birmingham, a city in an AC
What is one opportunity related to the way of life in Birmingham?
● The redevelopment of the Bullring shopping centre has led to a more pedestrianised city and is providing more jobs in retail and services in general to the surrounding denizens
● The Rotunda has been refurbished from offices to luxury apartments
CASE STUDY: Birmingham, a city in an AC
What are the contemporary challenges of living in Birmingham?
○ Within Birmingham, two wards should be considered
● Sparkbrook, in the city centre
● Sutton four oaks, in a suburb on Birmingham’s outskirts
○ Between these wards, and in Birmingham in general, there is a wealth, work & housing inequality
● Unemployment: Rates are 3.1% in Sutton Four Oaks, & 24.5% in Sparkbrook
● Housing income over £35,000: Rates are 47% in Sutton Four Oak, & 12% in Sparkbrook
CASE STUDY: Birmingham, a city in an AC
What is one sustainability initiative in Birmingham?
● Birmingham has plans to become a leading green city by reducing carbon emissions & resource consumption
● One way it plans to do this is through the library of Birmingham, a building built on a brownfield site with multiple sustainable features such as…
↳ Minimising emissions using energy-efficient systems
↳ Recycling water & collecting rainwater for usage
↳ Has a roof garden to attract animals and increase biodiversity
↳ Attracts and educates 2.5 million people yearly
● It is socially sustainable by acting as a free facility to raise educational achievement
● It is Economically sustainable by providing work & employment as well as contributing to creating a higher-skilled workforce
What is Suburbanisation?
Suburbanisation is when people move from the city centre into estates that lie on a city’s outskirts (called suburbs)
What is counter-urbanisation?
Counter-urbanisation (or urban-rural migration) is when people move to live in the countryside/rural areas
What are some push & pull factors of counter-urbanisation & Suburbanisation?
● Push factors: ↳ Overcrowding & pollution ↳ Traffic congestion -> increases CO2 emissions ↳ Deindustrialisation of city centre ↳ Unemployment increases ● Pull factors: ↳ Abundance of Green Spaces / Family friendly ↳ New modern housing estates ↳ Cheaper rent on outskirts ↳ Improved public transport
What are the social, economic & environmental consequences of counter-urbanisation & suburbanisation?
● Environmental Consequences: ↳ Increase in cars adds to pollution ↳ New housing damages habitats ● Economic Consequences: ↳ Abandoned city centres become derelict & damaged ↳ Unemployment increases, which leads to poverty ● Social Consequences: ↳ Economic & Ethnic segregation ↳ Offices and businesses are abandoned
What is re-urbanisation?
Re-urbanisation is when people move back into old abandoned urban areas
What are some push & pull factors of re-urbanisation?
● Push factors:
↳ Lack of jobs in rural & suburban areas
↳ Less leisure & entertainment in rural areas
↳ Counter-urbanisation increases house prices
● Pull factors:
↳ Redevelopment of brownfield sites with improved housing
↳ Young people are attracted to universities
↳ Attractive entertainment facilities
What are the Social, Economic, & Environmental consequences of re-urbanisation?
● Economic Consequences: ↳ New shops & services improve local economy ↳ Increase in urban tourism ● Social Consequences: ↳ Tension between old & new residents ↳ More jobs & less employment ↳ More students for schools ● Environmental Consequences: ↳ Can destroy urban wildlife ↳ Brownfield site redevelopment improves old polluted, industrial areas
What is Urbanisation?
Urbanisation is the positive shift in proportion of people living in urban areas in an area/country
