Topic 3 - Urban Environments Flashcards
What is urbanisation?
When an increasing proportion of a country’s population live in urban areas.
Where is urbanisation happening the fastest? Where is it happening slower?
Asia and Africa are seeing rapid urbanisation, while Europe, North America and Oceania are seeing slower urbanisation
What is suburbanisation?
The process of moving people from the centre of an urban area to the outskirts.
What is counter-urbanisation?
The movement of people from urban areas to rural areas.
What is rural to urban migration?
The movement of people from rural/countryside areas to built-up cities (urban areas)
What are two main factors of urbanisation?
In-migration, usually from the countryside (rural to urban migration), but also from other countries.
Relatively high birth rates amongst the city’s new migrant arrivals.
What factors affect the rate of emergence of new megacities?
Economic development - Where the growth of secondary and tertiary sectors is fast, so is the pace of urbanisation.
Population Growth - Economic growth needs an increasing supply of labour.
Economies of scale - The advantage of cramming as much as possible into one megacity rather than into a number of smaller cities.
Multiplier effect - Economic growth encourages population growth, which makes more labour available, and people need more goods and services, creating more jobs, thus more economic growth, and so on.
What are some problems with rapid urbanisation?
Congestion, not enough housing, so squatter settlements form.
Transport becomes overcrowded, and traffic.
Employment, most end up in the informal sector
Crime, increased crime comes with an increased population.
Environmental issues, traffic, industry and housing are among the worst polluters of air and water. Noise and visual pollution, cities produce large quantities of waste.
What are some urban challenges in Mumbai?
Squatter settlements (25% of the city’s area, 60% of its population)
A large informal economy (80-90% of people in Mumbai work in the informal sector)
Lack of proper sewage
Risk of infections and disease
Poor housing and transport facilities
Transport systems are crowded
Not enough hospitals
Lack of education
How are transport challenges being combated in Mumbai?
The MMRDA (A government authority) is looking to introduce congestion charges. They encourage the use of public transport and the city has a very strong system of public transport. The bus corporation in Mumbai is trying to put more than 2,000 electric buses on the road by 2023, and is aiming to convert 15% of its bus fleet to electric. The government also wants to introduce tax concessions for someone switching to electric vehicles.
How are education challenges being combated in Mumbai?
Dharavi Diary (A charity) is teaching girls computing and coding, as well as English and Maths. This will help the poorest in the slums to access formal sector jobs and leave the slums.
Plan International (Another charity) has set up schools. 80% of children in Dharavi don’t go to school because they are forced to work or don’t have a birth certificate (so can’t access state-run schools). The charity helps them get into school and improve their quality of life.
How are health challenges being combated in Mumbai?
The Mumbai Project (A charity) have introduced many health initiatives. They are training people to support others’ mental health. They have already supported 10,000 people and donated 470,000 PPE items during the pandemic. They have also supplied 50,000 period kits to girls and women.
The Sion hospital has grown from 50 to 1400 beds since it was built in 1947. Hand-washing basins have been set up in every room, and enhanced cleaning has been introduced. Specialist wards had been built and the hospital has stopped 120 babies from using the same bath water to reduce the risk of disease spreading.
How are employment challenges being combated in Mumbai?
80% of people in Dharavi are employed in the informal sector, which provides them with money and a job.
Some people are employed as tour guides, e.g. Reality Tours. The dependable wages allow them to spend money on making their living more sustainable, e.g. improving the water system in their homes.
How are housing challenges being combated in Mumbai?
The charity habitat for humanity is focusing on improving the standards of housing in Dharavi. The safer and more stable housing improves the quality of life in Dharavi as people are happier and less likely to be injured from dangerous hones. They provide resources, tools and better building materials to improve homes in Dharavi.
There are plans to sell the land that Dharavi is on as it is very valuable. The government plans to use the money to buy cheaper land elsewhere and build high-rise homes for these people. The idea of free homes, which are safe, purpose-built and connected to utilities, is a good idea for the people of Dharavi, however, very few slum dwellers are eligible for these homes.
