Urban Issues & Challenges

Question 1

What is a megacity?

Answer 1

An urban area with a population higher than 10 million.

Question 2

What is regeneration?

Answer 2

Reversing urban decline by modernising or re-developing an area.

Question 3

What is urban deprivation?

Answer 3

A standard of living below that of the majority in a particular society.

Question 4

What does sustainable mean?

Answer 4

Meeting needs of the present without impacting future generations.

Question 5

What is sustainable urban living?

Answer 5

Living in a way that won’t impact future generations.

Question 6

What is urban planning?

Answer 6

Preparation of plans for and regulation of the management of towns, cities, etc.

Question 7

What is meant by quality of life?

Answer 7

Range of human needs that should be met alongside income growth.

Question 8

What has happened to megacities over the years?

Answer 8

There were only 2 in 1950 and by 2010 there were over 20 across almost every continent. Asia has half the world’s megacities.

Question 9

What is Rio’s global importance?

Answer 9

Hosted 2016 Olympics and 2014 World Cup.

Question 10

What is Rio’s regional importance?

Answer 10

Tertiary jobs contribute to the GDP of Brazil.

Question 11

What is the growth of Rio?

Answer 11

Rural areas, neighbouring countries, overseas.

Question 12

What are the challenges for Rio?

Answer 12

Favelas, lack of healthcare, water supply, education, unemployment.

Question 13

What are the opportunities for Rio?

Answer 13

Favela Bairro Project, Schools of Tomorrow, UPPs, sewage & water supply.

Question 14

What are some examples of push factors?

Answer 14

Lack of jobs, not good housing, lack of healthcare and lack of infrastructure.

Question 15

What are some examples of pull factors?

Answer 15

More jobs (more money), better healthcare (higher life expectancy), more education (better jobs) and better infrastructure.

Question 16

What are some social opportunities for Rio?

Answer 16

Healthcare: medical teams visit favelas to provide help in the home, education: grants are given to poor families to enable children to stay in school.

Question 17

What are some economic opportunities for Rio?

Answer 17

Rio is the top visitor destination in South America and tourism is the biggest industry. Service industries are very important and Rio is a major centre for banking, finance and insurance.

Question 18

What are some economic challenges?

Answer 18

Formal education ends at 14 so children end up leaving school and finding jobs, which will be low skilled and low paid. Tourism can fall if they give bad reviews, leading to job losses.

Question 19

What are some social challenges?

Answer 19

Lots of people living in favelas turn to crime when they haven’t had a proper education, but this is being reduced by having police enter favelas to find the gangs and the UPPs help reduce crime. Their IMR is 6.2, meaning that they have had better healthcare.

Question 20

What are the poorest favelas like?

Answer 20

Most favelas had homes that were connected to an illegal and dangerous supply of electricity. They had leaky pipes. They’ve now built hydroelectric power plants so now 99% of the city have access to the power grid.

Question 21

How are favelas improved by site and service schemes?

Answer 21

They’re given a piece of land with water and electricity supply. They then borrow money from the council to buy building materials to build their own homes.