P2 - Unit 2A - Urban Issues and Challenges (HIC) Flashcards
Define Population Distribution:
How people are spread out over an area
Define Population Density:
The number of people per square km.
Calculated by diving the total population by the total area.
Define Urbanisation:
The increase in the proportion of people living in the cities, resulting in their growth.
How is the UK’s population distributed?
One of the most urbanised countries in the world (85% of people live in cities), however the population is unevenly distributed
- highest population density in the south east
- sparsely populated in the north(except for Edinburgh and the Glasgow corridor)
Where are the cities in the UK located?
-in flat low-lying parts of the country
-on the coast or near major rivers
(the UK has a high level of urbanisation and a number of large cities but no megacities)
How are UK cities growing?
- fastest growing cities are in south east England (also has the fastest growing economy)
- slowest growing cities in the UK are in the north (due to decline of industry and loss of jobs)
What is our case study for a major city in the UK?
London
Where is London located in the UK?
found in the South East of England
-its location has been influential in its growth
What is the importance of London within the UK?
- it is the capital city
- its centre has the densest population of the UK
- host the parliament
- by far the UKs wealthiest city
What is the importance of London globally?
- one of the most globalised, connected and influential places
- part of Europe’s economic core(producing a majority of the GDP of Europe)
- has global reach through its major airports(Heathrow, Gatwick), economic pull via the City of London and the stock exchange
- has headquarters of many large international companies (and British ones)
What are the causes of the growth of the population of London?
- internal migration
- international net migration
- natural change/natural increase has been positive(more births than deaths)
What are the impacts of national and international migration on London?
- London’s population is higher than it has ever been
- London has a youthful population(more natural increase)
- London is the most diverse city(40% born abroad)
- Changed the character of London (one of the most multicultural places, with many different races, cultures and languages)
What social opportunities has urban change had on London?
cultural mix
recreation and entertainment
What economic opportunities has urban change had on London?
recreation and entertainment
employment
integrated transport system
What environmental opportunities has urban change had on London?
urban greening
How is cultural mix a social opportunity from urban change in London?
- London is the most diverse place in the UK
- London has a huge number of different races, religions and cultures (mainly from ex-British colonies)
- This enriches cultural life (food, music, cultural events)
- This exposes people to know about other religions, languages and cultures
How is recreation and entertainment a social and economic opportunity from urban change in London?
- London has a huge number of cultural attractions (National gallery, Natural History Museum)
- Has the West End
- Has tourist attractions(Buckingham Palace, Parliament)
- Held the 2012 Olympic games(sports)
How is employment an economic opportunity from urban change in London?
The economy of London is dominated by financial and insurance activities
- in the UK it is the largest contributor to the economy
- has a major financial centre(City of London, Canary Wharf)
- home to the world or European HQ of major banks
How is an integrated transport system an economic opportunity from urban change in London?
Public transport accounts for 25% of London’s journeys
- has Oyster card(used on most forms of transport)
- integrated cycle network
- international airports (Heathrow, Gatwick)
- M25 ring road around he city
How is urban greening an environmental opportunity from urban change in London?
Green spaces take in carbon dioxide and reduce global warming
- creating rooftop green spaces
- using canals, rivers and river jetties(for bird roosts)
- Olympic village takes into account urban green spaces
- Open spaces for recreation and wildlife(Hyde Park)
What social challenges has urban change had on London?
- inequalities in health, housing, education, employment
- cultural integration
What economic challenges has urban change had on London?
- urban decline and deprivation
- urban sprawl
What environmental challenges has urban change had on London?
- atmospheric pollution
- waste disposal
- dereliction
- building on brownfield and greenfield sites
How is inequalities in health a social challenge from urban change in London?
People in wealthy areas tend to live longer than people in poorer areas
- lower income areas may be exposed to a poorer environment (may have a poor diet and lifestyle)
- poorer people may also have more limited access to health care
How is inequalities in housing a social challenge from urban change in London?
House prices in London are higher than anywhere else
- more people rent than own their own house
- the people that rent spend more than half of their weekly pay on rent
- massive difference from mansion in the west to small flat buildings in the east
How is inequalities in education a social challenge from urban change in London?
Children across London do not get equal grades
- in the poorer areas people have the worst education
- 35% of people in Newham have no educational qualifications compared to the 5% average in London
How is inequalities in employment a social challenge from urban change in London?
London’s unemployment still remains a major issue
-higher than the national average
How is cultural integration a social challenge from urban change in London?
Cultural mix is not without its difficulties
- ghettos (economically poorer groups all live together in poorer areas)
- language (public services such as schools and hospitals have to get translators)
How is urban decline and deprivation an economic challenge from urban change in London?
Urban decline is often accompanied by decreasing economic performance and unemployment
- visible differences in housing and economic suffering
- really hard for the poorer people to have a decent standard of living because the prices of things in London are higher
Define Urban Decline:
Urban decline is the deterioration of the inner city often caused by lack of investment and maintenance.
Define Urban deprivation:
Urban deprivation means that people have a standard of living which is below the majority of people in society, and it involves hardships and lack of access to resources.
How is building on brownfield and greenfield sites an environmental challenge from urban change in London?
Housing in the UK is a big issue (small country)
- Building on brownfield sites already have infrastructure, but the land may need to be cleared
- Building on greenfield sites has plenty of space and land doesn’t need to be cleared, but infrastructure may need work and habitats can be affected
How is urban sprawl an economic challenge from urban change in London?
Commuter settlements have increased
- extra cost to the tax payer(more infrastructure needed)
- increased traffic (traffic congestion, air pollution)
- health issues (pollution- respiratory problems, stress- high blood pressure)
- environmental problems(sprawling cities displaces animals)
- impact on social lives(further away from neighbours)
How is dereliction an environmental challenge from urban change in London?
There are a large number of brownfield sites in London
- derelict land if often dangerous
- old factories may have left toxic substances, and run down buildings may be unstable
How is atmospheric pollution an environmental challenge from urban change in London?
London suffers from air pollution
- has a dense road network and high buildings
- failed most of the air quality standards set by the EU
- ozone pollution(poisonous to humans)
- particulate matter(come from engine emissions, can cause premature death)
- nitrogen dioxide(diesel engines, reparatory problems)
How is London improving the air quality?
- a free app to inform people on the air quality
- cleaning up London’s bus fleet
- congestion charge(to reduce traffic)
- investing in cycling
- new and tighter standards for London’s Low Emission Zone
How is waste disposal an environmental challenge from urban change in London?
London will run out of space to dispose of waste in landfills
- landfills contribute to the production of methane
- recycling rates are lower than in the rest of the UK
- landfills could leak and contaminate ground water supplies
What is urban regeneration?
The revival of old parts of a built up area by either installing modern facilities in old buildings (known as renewal) or opting for redevelopment (demolishing existing buildings and starting afresh)
What is our case study of an urban regeneration project?
The London Olympic Park
-the idea was for it to have a lasting legacy, not just for sport but for the urban area in the East of London
Where is the Olympic Park?
In the Lower Lea valley, in East London
- was once one of the main industrial areas in London
- now one of the most deprived areas of London
Why did the area chosen for the Olympic park need regenerating?
- lots of abandoned old industrial sites
- low achievement at school
- industrial wastelands (badly contaminated land)
- higher than average unemployment rates
- lower household incomes
How health a reason for why the area for the Olympic Park was in need of regeneration?
Newham had a lower life expectancy than the rest of London
-more people living with long term illness than the rest of London
How employment a reason for why the area for the Olympic Park was in need of regeneration?
Newham had a higher unemployment rate than the rest of London
There were fewer employment opportunities for people living in the area
How was the environment a reason for why the area for the Olympic Park was in need of regeneration?
- A considerable amount of land in the area was contaminated from industrial waste
- Environmental quality was low
- Fly tipping had been ignored
- Industrial decline has led to derelict sites
How was education a reason for why the area for the Olympic Park was in need of regeneration?
35% of Newham had no educational qualifications
-need to raise the standards of schools and the aspirations of local people
What was the plans of the London 2012 Olympic Legacy?
Economic - supporting new jobs and skills, encouraging trade and tourism
Sports - more sports facilities, encouraging sports in schools
Social and Volunteering - inspiring others
Regeneration - reuse of venues, new homes, improved transportation
How has the London 2012 Olympic games provided social positives?
- athletes village created 2,800 affordable homes
- whole Olympic park land will house 8,000 people
- Olympics has helped schools in the area, new school opened
- improved facilities for the community, schools and elite athletes
- unemployment overall fell during the Olympic period
How has the London 2012 Olympic games provided social negatives?
- during the construction of the Olympic park, very few jobs were created for local people
- still have high levels of unemployment
- many people in the area still remain in poverty
- properties had to be demolished to make way for the site
How has the London 2012 Olympic games provided economic positives?
- Stratford got a tube station, now one of the most connected areas in London
- the Olympics brought £9bn of investment to east London, most of which went on transport
How has the London 2012 Olympic games provided economic negatives?
- Olympic stadium cost £700 million (3 times the original estimate)
- total bill for the games was £8.8 billion of tax payers money
- existing businesses had to move
- rents and property prices have gone up as a result of the games
How has the London 2012 Olympic games provided environmental positives?
- many of the grounds have been kept as park land and are open to the public (300,000 wetland plants planted)
- new green space and wildlife habitats were created
- River Lea’s water quality has improved
- the Olympic park was mainly build on brownfield sites
How has the London 2012 Olympic games provided environmental negatives?
- much of the wildlife had to be relocated
- many of the materials for the Olympic park came from over seas
- the games produced over 3 million tons of carbon dioxide
What does urban sustainability require?
Urban sustainability requires management of resources and transport
What are features of sustainable urban living?
- using renewable sources of energy
- use of public transport
- accessible resources and services
- water and energy conservation
- recycling more waste
- creating green space
Define what it means to be a sustainable city:
A sustainable city is one in which there is minimal damage to the environment, the economic base is sound with resources allocated fairly and jobs secure, and there is a strong sense of community with local people involved in decisions made.
How is energy conservation done for an urban area to be sustainable?
This is the reduction in the use of energy by:
- reducing use(not leaving TVs on standby)
- greater efficiency(energy efficient lightbulbs)
- developing renewable sources of energy
How is water conservation done for an urban area to be sustainable?
Involves the preservation, control and development of water resources
- prevention of water pollution
- reduction of use of water(low flush toilets)
What is an example of sustainable urban living?
BedZED(Beddington Zero Energy Development), London
- using natural, recycled or reclaimed building materials
- building homes south facing
- 30cm insulation jackets on all buildings
- low-energy lightbulbs and appliances
- roof gardens, rainwater harvesting and wastewater recycling
- providing a green transport plan
How is waste disposal done for an urban area to be sustainable?
Councils across the UK have provided homes with recycling bins
- less waste going to landfill
- waste incineration can generate electricity and less waste goes to landfill
How is urban greening done for an urban area to be sustainable?
-increasing and preserving the amount of open space such as public parks and gardens (Hyde Park)
Epping forest
-habitats for wildlife
-people stay healthy(being more active)
-trees reduce the dangers of flooding, and produce oxygen
What problems does traffic congestion have on urban sustainability?
Has environmental problems, cars release greenhouse gases and particulate matter
Has problems economically, causes people to be late so productivity is affected, so a business could lose money
How can traffic congestion be managed?
London has an integrated cycle network
London has a congestion charge
Public transport- London had an integrated transport system, London also now has Cross Rail
How can an integrated cycle network manage traffic congestion?
By more people travelling by bike(such as by the Santander Cycles) it will reduce the number of cars on the road, helping to reduce traffic congestion
How can a congestion charge manage traffic congestion?
Charging people will put more people off from using their car, which will mean more people will use public transport
How can an integrated transport system manage traffic congestion?
Encourages people to use public transport
-Oyster card allows people to use most public transport and pay in the same way
How can ‘Cross Rail’ manage traffic congestion?
Cross Rail is a new East-West route across London
- reduce traveling time for people (reduce journey times by half)
- encourages people to use public transport so less carbon emissions
- green walls have been introduced at some stations, have been designed to specifically reduce levels of particulate matter
