World Urbanisation Flashcards
Where does the majority of the world pop live?
Urban areas
Just over half of people live in cities of 0.5 million or less
Three mechanisms of urbanisation?
People moving from countryside to city
Natural increase is highest in urban areas
Reclassification of villages as urban areas
1950 statistics?
Global pop- 2.5 billion
30% in urban areas
2050 predictions?
Global pop- 9.3 billion
70% will live in urban settlements
Mega cities from 1950 to 2015?
1950- 2 mega cities- New York and Tokyo
2015- 22
17/22 will be in low and middle income countries
Worlds biggest cities?
Tokyo Delhi New York Mexico City Beijing
Rate of growth comparing 2 cities?
It took 150 years for New York’s population to grow from 1 million to 8 million
The same growth took São Paulo under 15 years
China case study?
In 1949 10% of the pop lived in cities now more than half
China has 654 cities, 240 have more than 500,000
1 billion city dwellers by 2030
Migration to China
Relax of Hukou System in 1980’s caused a surge in urbanisation
247 million migrants in 2015
Africa statistics?
Africa pop
20 million in 1950
321 million in 2010
Relationship between urbanisation and economic development
Urbanisation coincided with industrialisation in Europe
Modernisation theory
Arthur Lewis duel sector model
Modernisation theory?
1950’s and 60’s
Urbanisation is a by product of economic development
Consequence of structural economic shift
A positive phenomenon associated with progress
Arthur Lewis dual sector model
1954
Unproductive rural labourers move to dynamic urban industrial centres
Urbanisation driven by rational rural- urban migration
Why is there little migration in the developing world?
Little development of industry means less reason to migrate
So what is the main cause of urbanisation in the developing world?
Improvements in public health increases life expectancy in cities
Therefore urban pop increases
Rapid pop growth
Complex migration patterns?
Circular migration and seasonality- Cecilia Tacoli
Reverse migration and de- urbanisation- Deborah Potts
Why are China’s cities growing so fast?
Rapid economic growth
Industrialisation
Relaxation of migration controls
State driven urban development
Why are Africa’s cities growing so fast
Improvements in health and sanitation
High fertility rates (5-6)
Lifting of colonial restrictions on mobility since 1960’s
Why is Africa an anomaly?
Urbanisation despite no economic development
Why did the efforts to limit rural to urban migration fail?
Resulted in slums
The environmental challenges of global urbanisation?
Urban footprint- pollution and consumption of resources
Will your city drown? - flooding
Heat islands- energy required to keep the city cool
Natural disasters
Cities and environmental degradation?
Cities are responsible for 75% of global greenhouse gases
The urban ecological footprint= the area of land a city requires to supply its needs - London would need an area 125 times its surface area
Climate change- mitigation?
Efforts to prevent further climate change or limit the extent of climate change
Climate change-
Adaptation
Readjusting life to the reality that a certain amount of climate change will inevitably occur
Cities relationship to energy?
Cities consume 67% of worlds energy
China and vulnerable cities?
78 million people live in vulnerable low elevation cities
What has intensified the rural- urban migration?
Ecological crises
Dhaka- A city exploding with climate migrants
Half a million move to the city each year
The socio economic challenges of global urbanisation?
Employment- Can cities provide enough jobs?
Poverty and inequality
Congestion
Health
Biggest mega slum?
Neza/ Chalco/ Itza
Mexico City- 4 million
What is a slum?
An urban area that suffers from 1 or more of these conditions Non- durable structures Insufficient living space Deficient access to adequate water Usually highly insecure tenure
What is the affordable housing challenge?
Who will pay?
The state
Real estate developers- usually out for profit
City dwellers through mortgages- high interest rates in many countries
City dwellers through communities and self help
The political challenge of global urbanisation?
Planning policies- who are cities planned for?
Mayors- who do you want to govern you?
Infrastructure
Displaced communities- where will the refugees go?
Examples of modern urban riots?
Poll tax 1990
London riots 2011
Political challenges in rapid urban growth?
Standing against the interests of big business
Reducing urban inequality
Managing diversity, integration and racial tensions
Demands for democracy
Priorities in rapid urban growth?
Providing sources of employment Spaces to cater for social integration and socio political inclusion Building urban resilience Improving public health Generation of low carbon industry
