Mega Cities Challenges and Responses Flashcards
What are the case studies and responses
Lagos - Water crisis, response Community World Water Day rally
Mumbai - transport, response Mumbai urban Infrastructure Project (MUIP)
Rio De Janeiro - Informal housing, response Rocinha Bairro Project
Dhaka - Informal economy, response Grameen bank
What is the challenge in Lagos
Water insecurity
Explain issue of water scarcity
Lack of abundance of water due to drought conditions as well as poor water systems e.g. pipes and pluming
50% of all megacities now experiencing water scarcity or drought conditions
Explain the reasons for the challenges in Lagos
Due to limited distribution networks inadequate power supply from nation grid and high levels of unaccounted for water due to illegal connections has cause the current lack of water supplies.
Polices have failed to ensure democratic governance and inadequate budgetary allocations
From the 1980s the Lagos government have received approx $1 billion from the World bank however government has still failed to reconstruct pipes and water lines. Made worst when government tried to criminalize the informal sector making it illegal to take water from wells and other bodies of water –>
What are the impacts of the challenge in Lagos
Lack of water - demand = 724 million, but supplies 317 million
Lack of water infrastructure e.g. pipes, old truck lines
Due to
Government corruption resulting in inadequate budgetary allocations and regulation of spending. Since 1980s Lagos has been receiving loans approx $1 billion however gov has failed to implement this into the water crisis
Made worst when government tried to criminalize the informal water sector e.g. sink wells, streams, draw water from neighbours, everyone has to buy water
Poor sanitation bringing rise to serial deaths from water borne diseases e.g. Cholera, typhoid fever and hepatitis A
Response in Lagos
2018 Water Day Rally - Community response
Friends of the earth international created the campaign ‘our water our right’ to protest against the governments aim to privatise water.
Succeeded in promoting awareness and succeeding in a major funder of the water privatization in the government to resign,
As the sate government was unable to justify the privatisation bid the campaign produced an alternative solution which the government too up producing
“Lagos Water Crisis; Alternative Road map for Water Sector”
This document highlights the failures of the current water system and proposes a comprehensive strategy for collaborative, citizen directed publicly funded water supply.
Forced the government to reserve $185 million in its budget for clean water access
What is the challenge in Mumbai
Traffic congestion
Explain the challenge of traffic congestion
industrial increase in the motor car and extreme populations in megacities led to extreme constraint on public facilities e.g. roads, highways
Leading to extreme congestion and travel times (ave 1 hour) - produces green house gas
As megacities are developing their lack of economic power results in most of their public infrastructure and traffic systems to be outdated and lack maintenance
How is transport a challenge in Mumbai (4)- stats
100-200 new cars are added to the roads a day
90% of the city’s commuters use the railways
and the train systems are carrying 3 times the designed capacity
Congestion - 121 hours yearly lost due to traffic
The underdevelopment of the rail system, with a lack of track traveling from east to west further congesting the roads
What is the response in Mumbai (8)
Mumbai urban Infrastructure Project MUIP
- $50 million
- improved east-west road connectivity
- Added safe and convenient ways to cross the train tracks to prevent deaths
- adding 3 carriages to every train
-added 72 new trains
- anti collision deceive that shorted train intervals to 90 seconds - improved liability
- modern traffic management system at congestion points (human monitory traffic and altering traffic lights based on traffic)
- more comfortable ventilated rail way - improve experience
- Added regenerative breaking system to trains will result in a 30% reduction in energy consumption
What is the challenge in Rio De Janeiro
Informal housing
Explain the challenge of informal housing in Megacities
Due to rapid urbanization and the extreme populations in megacities has forced the construction of temporary accommodations in spontaneous settlements, with no ownership to the land
Often these living areas are made from scrap materials and don’t have access to basic facilities e.g. water, electricity- prone to health concerns and security
Explain informal housing in Rio+ some stats
Rocinha (favella) is one of the largest most densely populated urbanised slum in Rio, with 100-200 thousand inhabitants within 0.8 square miles.
- only 50% have access to indoor toilets
- All sewage connect to the drains running at street level
- 50% higher infant mortality than in other areas in Brazil
What is the response in Rio
Rocinha Bairro Project - self help scheme
Funded by American Development Bank and other loans
Aim = to rehabilitate and recognize the favela as a neighborhood providing their own rights and essential services.
- relocated most houses on steep topography
-businesses and brick houses were constructed - creating a community - provided over 26 000 residents with access to clean water and drainage systems
- installed public lighting and widened streets (improve public safety)
- established a pacifying police unit which dropped murders by 500%
Evaluation of Response in Rio
extremely successful creating Rocinha in a operating neighborhood increasing livability without displacing the residents (keeps community and history of area)
However project was limited by funding and topography
