London and Mumbai (CUE)

Question 1

London - CONTEXT

Answer 1

• capital and most populous city of the UK.
• 2019 = Greater London Authority reported that population had exceeded 8.9 million.
• expected to reach 11 million by 2050.

Question 2

London - FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO LONDON RANKING 1ST IN GLOBAL POWER CITY INDEX (2018):

Answer 2

• 2012 Olympic Games = world city profile, led to redevelopment of formerly run-down areas.
• global financial centre with a growing reputation as a technological hub and top rankings for software and multimedia development.

Question 3

London - ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING

Answer 3

• economic powerhouse of the UK and home to a third of the country’s entire wealth.
• reported 2.1 million people live in poverty.

Question 4

London - CULTURAL DIVERSITY

Answer 4

• start of mass migration = 1948, arrival of lots of West Indian men for employment. Also known as the Windrush group.
• 2015 = over 3.8 million people (44%) were of a black and minority ethnicity origin > expected to increase to 50% by 2038.

Question 5

London - POVERTY PROFILE (2017)

Answer 5

• 21% of employees are paid less than the London Living Wage.
• The percentage of people living in poverty has decreased from 29% to 27% over the last 6 years.

Question 6

London - URBAN HEAT ISLAND

Answer 6

• centre of London = 10°C warmer than the surrounding rural areas.
• negative effect on health, particularly for vulnerable people and lead to greater consumption of water and energy.

Question 7

London - NATURE + IMPACTS OF PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Answer 7

• introduced the Clean Air Act in 1956, greener buses, taxi age limits and Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
• nitrogen dioxide levels still breach EU legal limits and still suffer higher levels of air pollution than surrounding rural areas.
• 2014 Public Health England = 5.3% of all deaths in people aged 25 and over are linked to air pollution.

Question 8

London - THREAT OF FLOODING

Answer 8

• climate change = wetter winters and more frequent heavy downpours, as well as rising sea levels and higher tidal surges.
• 15% of London is on a floodplain, protected by flood defences = much of the infrastructure Londoners rely on daily are located here: 49 railway stations, 75 underground stations and 10 hospitals.

Question 9

London - MOVING TOWARDS GREATER URBAN SUSTAINABILITY

Answer 9

• 2002 = London Sustainable Development Commission, to advise the Mayor of London on making London a sustainable world city.
• updated its aims in 2015 in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Question 10

London - SOCIAL DEVELOPMENTS

Answer 10

• focus on improving education through the London Challenge initiative = continued to improve outcomes for pupils in primary and secondary schools at a faster rate than nationally.
• Newham = Every Child programme offers children the chance to learn a musical instrument or take part in cultural events. Also benefit from universal free school meals = linked to greater attainment and better health.

Question 11

London - ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENTS

Answer 11

• Crossrail (2022) = increase rail-based transport network capacity by 10%; cut journey times across the city, ease congestion and encourage regeneration.
• London Living Wage = calculated hourly rate of pay which gives wage rate needed for a worker in London to provide their family with the essentials of life > 10,000 families have been lifted out of working poverty as a result of this.

Question 12

London - ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENTS

Answer 12

• Congestion Charge (2003) = discourage driving in central London > reduce congestion and pollution.
• “Boris Bikes” = increase cycling by 173% since 2001; aim for 400% increase by 2025, although there are continued concerns about cycling safety.

Question 13

London - URBAN GOVERNANCE

Answer 13

• role of the Mayor of London = created under Greater London Authority Act 1999, part of the government’s commitment to restore a city-wide government for London.
• ensure that the city has a strong voice and can attract investment from home and abroad.

Question 14

Mumbai - CONTEXT

Answer 14

• India’s largest megacity; population estimated to be in excess of 25 million in 2020.
• financial and commercial centre of India as well as home to the popular Bollywood movie industry.

Question 15

Mumbai - ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL WELL-BEING

Answer 15

• population = more than doubled since 1991.
• diverse and 16 major languages of India are spoken.
• 60% of Mumbaikars live in slums; the average Indian would need to work for 3 centuries to pay for a luxury home in Mumbai.

Question 16

Mumbai - DHARAVI SLUM

Answer 16

• was a mangrove swamp inhabited by Koli fishermen until the late 19th Century.
• home to thousands of micro-industries = produce over US$650 million worth of goods annually.

Question 17

Mumbai - NATURE + IMPACT OF PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

Answer 17

• tropical climate = south-west monsoon brings heavy rainfall between June and September.
• urban growth = development replaces public parks, mangrove swamps, etc.

Question 18

Mumbai - ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Answer 18

• 700,000 cars on heavily congested roads = growth of 57% in 8 years.
• discards 11,000 metric tons of rubbish every day.
• nitric and nitrogen oxide pollution levels are dangerously high = more than 3x the safe limit.

Question 19

Mumbai - GREATER MUMBAI DISASTER MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN

Answer 19

• created in response to flooding in 2005 = identified risks and vulnerabilities the city would face in the future, including earthquakes and cyclones.
• Disaster Management Cell = coordinates relief and rescue efforts, and widened and deepened the Mithi River which drains out into the Arabian Sea.
  - environmentalists = too many factors which make Mumbai vulnerable:
• construction on a floodplain.
• removal of mangrove forests.
• clogging storm drains and waterways with plastic rubbish.