Urban futures Flashcards
What is internal growth? How does it contribute to rapid urbanisation?
Growth of a population as a result of higher live birth rate than death rate
City populations grow rapidly because of young migrants moving to cities, who are of a childbearing age, so the brith rate is higher than in rural areas and so % living in urban areas increase
What is urbanisation?
The increasing proportion of the population living in towns and cities
Generally, are there are larger urban populations in ACs or LIDCs?
ACs
Which countries are urbanising at the slowest rate? (ACs, EDCs or LIDCs)
ACs
Which countries are urbanising the fastest? (ACs, EDCs or LIDCs)
LIDCs
What is a megacity?
A city with a population over 10 million people
What is a world city?
One of the most important cities in the global economy. An international hub of finance, trade and culture.
How has the number and distribution (and why) of megacities changed since 1950 to 2015?
Thye have increased rapidly from 2 in 1950, to 34 today.
They are centred on Asia (highest frequency). Asia is becoming more developed and has high internal growth.
How has the number and distribibution of world cities changed since 1950?
In 1950, there were 3 world cities. Today there are 9 (two in alpha ++, 7 in alpha +).
They have become more centred on Asia due to its rapid development.
Generally, as GDP/capita increases, % of urban population…
increases
Why do more developed countries have a higher urban population?
Because they tend to have industrialised first. Poorer countries have a low GDP and large rural workforce.
As GDP/capita increases, the urban population growth rate…
decreases
List 2 rural-urban migration push factors
- poor transport networks - people need to travel for work and to sell produce
- lack of access to services (health and education) - people more unlikely to get quicker treatment, poses a serious risk to health; better jobs
List 2 pull factors for rural-urban migration.
- better access to education and health services - can get better jobs
- higher paying jobs - ability to send money back home to support family members
List 4 consequences of rapid urbanisation.
- Hap-hazard housing - unsafe to tenant
- No sewage or water systems - unhealthy environment and not good for citizen’s health
- Few/no roads (poor infastructure) - people sturggle to get to work, not economically viable
- Large informal sectors - no taxes (government can’t redistribute money for essential services), vulnerable to financial crises
What is sub-urbanisation?
The increased movement of people and industries to the edge of existing urban areas. This can be from inner cities or rural areas.
List 2 push factors for urban to sub-urban migration.
- pollution - bad for health, people do not want their children to have a higher risk of death
- increased crime - unsafe for citizens, anyone at risk of being burgled/being a victim
List 2 pull factors for urban to sub-urban migration.
- better schools and services - children are better educated, higher paid jobs, less likely to commit crime
- technological development - people can work from home, no need to be in busy city, but still have a high paid job
List a demographic, social, economic and environmental consequence of suburbanisation.
Demograhic - mainly white, wealthy
Social - age-segregation (younger in cities, older in suburbs)
Economic - inner city housing markets declines due to less demand
Environmental - with more commute, there is more traffic and pollution - more CO2 emissions
What is counter-urbanisation?
The process of de-population from major urban areas to smaller rural areas, largely due to dissatisfaction with urban living
List 2 push factors for counter-urbanisation.
- high cost of living - those on smaller incomes may struggle to ‘make end’s meet’
- crowded, busy - poorer quality of life
List 2 pull factors for counter-urbanisation.
- better valued houses for the same size - cheaper to buy
- rural idyllic - romanticised way of living and better quality of life
List a demographic, social, economic and environmental consequence of counter-urbanisation.
Demographic - older population due to rural turnaround (young move out, old move in)
Social - strain on local health services due to older population
Economic - higher valued houses
Environmental - increased air pollution due to longer commute to work
What is reurbanisation?
The movement of people back into cities
What is the main cause of reurbanisation?
Increased investment into area
List a demographic, social, economic and environmental consequence of reurbanisation.
Demographic - two contrasting groups, could lead to conflict; young people and empty nesters (older people whose children have left home)
Social - gentrification, could lead to inequality
Economic - house prices increase
Environmental - derelict sites are used
What is gentrification?
when wealthier people move into a poor urban area that leads to improvements (such as housing), however often displaces current residents rent/prices are then too high
What is a transient community?
A community where people are constantly moving in and out (e.g. Jesmond with students in Newcastle)
What is the EDC and AC we studied for urban futures?
EDC - Mexico CIty
AC - Newcastle
“What is Mexico City’s international importance? (2 points)”
Financial centre (generates 1/4 of Mexico GDP)
Largest city in Latin America
Explore 4 ways that ways of life vary in Mexico City?
Tianguis (food) - different cultures of street food. Brings together all peoples in city from different incomes and demographics.
Colonias Populares (housing) - 60% live in these hap-hazard houses on the mountain, poses risk to inhabitants. Wealthier people live in old spanish colonial housing in centre of city with courtyards (e.g. in Polanco - Beverly Hills of Mexico City. Creates wealth divide.
Transport:
- Pesoros are unregulated ‘little buses’ that accounts for majority of journeys in city a day. They are unregulated and have no official route, making them economically unviable (longer, unecessary commutes)
- Mexicable is a cheap cable car system that connects Colonias Populares to the inner city. Beneficial for informal sector.
Water - people living in the poorer, colonias popualres can’t get piped clean water, therefore spend 20% of income on bottled water. More difficult to escape poverty.
Describe migration to Mexico CIty? What impact does this have? (2 points)
Migration most present into city outskirts, city sprawled outwards, outer areas are uncared for
Single culture communties -build larger multi-cultural city. Examples include Jewish and Chinese groups. This leads to city characteristics like Synagogues and Chinatown.
Explore Agua Negra (waste disposal)
The current sewage system is ‘The Grand Canal’ which is over 100 years old and was not made to support such a large population.
If the system failed, this would flood the city in 3 hours.
A new 64km wastewater system is being built that would remove sewage from the city.
Could be way of life in Mexico City
Explore one contemporary challenge to Mexico City
Informal sector
60% of jobs in informal sector.
Informal workers do not pay tax. This makes it difficult for the government to redistribute money to health and education services. The informal workers are not well protected - no sick pay, pension, etc. They are vulnerable to economic shocks like COVID-19.
Explore one sustainable initative in Mexico City.
Metrobus - a bus rapid transport system
Dedicated bus lanes free from other traffic that allow them to move efficiently around the city.
They use bi-articulated buses which can transport more people per hour than other buses.
Tickets are bought before embarking on bus, much like a subway system, to reduce idleness and therefore pollution.
Success: exposure to air pollution down 35%, traffic accidents down 54%.
Criticism: only 500K passengers at present, still small % of total commuters in Mexico City.
Describe Newcastle’s importance in a global, national and regional scale?
Global - international scientific recognition for stem cell research at the centre for life.
National - RVI, leader of rare disease development in UK
Regional - only major British city in North East
What is Newcastle’s national and international migration like?
National - migration inwards comes mainly from close by Northern cities. Migration outwards is mainly to London.
International - international migration inwards for university.
Explore 4 ways of life in Newcastle.
Large student population creates transient community - properties in these areas not cared for.
Multi-generational housing is cheap and may affect quaity of life for inhabitants. Creates wealth divide.
Culture - student community creates night life that contributes significantly to economy.
Small clusters of single culture communties - e.g. chinese population in centre city. Chinese arch and lanterns, shops and services. Creates multi-cultural city, can lead to tension.
Explore one contemporary chalenge to Newcastle (with 2 statistics)
Inequality
% children in low-income family:
Byker: 53%
Jesmond: 3%
Newcastle average: 29%
Long term health problem:
Byker: 25%
Jesmond: 6%
Newcastle: 19%
Creates wealth gap that makes it hard for the poorest people to escape poverty.
Explore one sustainable intiative in Newcastle.
Metro - sustainable transport
- It is fully electrified
- integrated with other transport systems in area like airport and ferry
- encourages people to take metro rather than car - this reduces carbon emissions and reduces traffic accidents (especially given the night life of the city that can lead to drunk driving)
- cheaper for younger and older populations who are unlikely to have cars
Criticism: passenger satisfaction rates low (below 80%) as punctuality is poor due to ageing fleet of vehicles.
What is the difference between a push and pull factor?
A push factor pushes someone away from an area.
A pull factor pulls someone towards the other area
