Urban Issues Flashcards
What is Urbanisation
An increase in the amount of people living in urban areas such as towns or cities.
What is a push factor
Things that push people away from their home
What is a pull factor
Things that pull people to a new home
Examples of Push Factors
-Natural disasters
-War and Conflict
-Mechanisation
-Drought
-Lack of Employment
Examples of Pull Factors
-Employment opportunities
-Better education and healthcare
-Increased quality of life
-Following family members
-Religious freedom
-Better working conditions
What is Natural Increase
When birth rate exceeds the death rate
What are the causes of Urbanisation
Rural-Urban Migration (Push & Pull Factors)
Natural Increase
Causes of Increase in Birth Rate (BR)
-High percentage of the population are child-bearing age which leads to a high fertility rate
-Lack of contraception or education about family planning
Causes of Decrease Death Rate (DR)
-Higher life expectancy due to better living conditions and diet
-Improved medical facilities helps lower infant mortality rate.
What is a Megacity
An urban area with over 10 million people living there
What is an Integrated Transport System
The linking of different forms of public transport within a city and the surrounding area
What is a Brownfield Site
An area of land or premises that has been previously used, but has subsequently become vacant, derelict or contaminated
What is a Greenbelt Area
Zone of land surrounding a city where new building is strictly controlled to try prevent cities growing too much and too fast
What is Urban Regeneration
The investment in the revival of old, urban areas by either improving what is there or clearing it away and rebuilding
What is Water Conservation and how can it be carried out
Reducing the amount of water used:
-Collecting rainwater for gardens and flushing toilets
-Installing water meters and toilets that flush less water.
-Educating people on using less water
What is Energy Conservation and how can it be carried out
Using fewer fossil fuels can reduce the rate of climate change:
-Promoting renewable energy sources
-Making homes more more energy efficient
-Encouraging people to use energy
What is Creating Green Space and how can it be carried out
Creating green spaces in urban areas can improve places for people who want to live there:
-Provide natural cooler areas for people to relax in
-Encourages people to exercise
-Reduces risk of flooding from surface runoff
What is Waste Recycling and how can it be carried out
More recycling and fewer resources are used. Less waste reduces the amount that eventually goes to landfill:
-Collection of household waste
-More local recycling facilities
-Greater awareness of the benefits of recycling
Environmental problems of Traffic
Traffic increases air pollution which releases greenhouse gases that is leading to climate change
Economic problems of Traffic
Congestion can make people late for work and deliveries take longer. Can cause companies to lose money
Social problems of Traffic
A greater risk of accidents and congestion is a cause of frustration. Traffic can also lead to health issues for pedestrians.
Solutions to Traffic Congestion
-Widen roads to allow more traffic to flow easily
-Build ring roads and bypasses to keep traffic out of city centers
-Introduce Park and Ride schemes to reduce car use
-Encourage car-sharing schemes in workplaces
-Have public transport, cycle lanes, and cycle hire schemes
-Having congestion charges which discourage drivers from entering busy city centers
How did London try to regenerate their docks
-The LDDC was set up in 1981 to reverse inner city decline after the London Docks had been abandoned in the 1950s
-Problems: Decline in population lack of public transport and shopping facilities, high unemployment, lack of open space and recreation facilities, derelict land.
-Solutions: Pedestrian and cycle routes, 200,000 trees planted, Docklands Light Railway, 2700 new businesses, City Airport, new roads linking to the M11, Canary Wharf business complex, 22,000 new homes, £100 million spent on health and education.
-Criticisms: didn’t benefit the residents, houses too expensive, new jobs required a different skill set to those of the original residents, lost sense of community.
What is Economic Development
This is progress in economic growth through levels of industrialisation and use of technology
What is Social Development
This is an improvement in people’s standard of living. For example, clean water and electricity
Brownfield Land
Land that has been previously built on.
Dereliction
Where buildings are left unused or unoccupied
Greenfield Land
Land that hasn’t been built on before
Informal work
Self-employed or temporary work which provides a small wage and limited health regulations
Integrated Transport
A system that links different types of transportation to give commuters access to the whole city
International Migration
The movement of people between countries, for work or long term residence
Net Migration
The total number of people entering minus the number of people leaving a country
Population Density
The amount of people per square area of land
Remittance
A family member living in a different can send money back to their country of origin to support their family substantially
Sustainability
A city which has minimal environmental damage and social inequality
