Urbanization

Lecture 8

More Than Half of the World’s People Live in Urban Areas

” Urbanization” Creation and growth of urban and suburban

areas 55% of people live in such areas

” Urban growth ” Rate of increase of urban populations” Immigration from rural areas

” Pushed from rural areas to urban areas

” Pulled to urban areas from rural areas

Three Major Urban Trends

” Three major trends” Proportion of global population living in urban areas is

increasing

” Number and sizes of urban areas are increasing” Megacities: more than 10 million residents

” Hypercities: more than 20 million residents

” Poverty is becoming increasingly urbanized” Mostly in less-developed countries

Three Major Urban Trends

Urbanization in the United States

” Three phases between 1800 and 2015

” Migration from rural areas to large central cities

” Migration from large central cities to suburbs and smaller cities

” Migration from North and East to South and West

” Aging infrastructure

” Deteriorating services

Urban Sprawl

” Urban sprawl

” Low-density development on the edges of cities and towns

” Contributing factors to U.S. urban sprawl

” Abundant, affordable land

” Automobiles

” Federal and state funding of highways

” Inadequate urban planning

Urban Sprawl

” Suburban sprawl destroys forests, wetlands, and cropland

” Forces people to drive almost everywhere

” Contributed to economic deaths of many central cities

Urbanization Has Advantages

” Cities” Centers of economic development,

innovation, education, technological advances, social and cultural diversity, and jobs

” Better medical care than rural areas” Recycling economically feasible” Reduce stress on wildlife habitats” Mass transportation typically available

Urbanization Has Disadvantages

” Large ecological footprints”Consume 75% of the world’s resources

” Lack of vegetation” Water problems

”Runoff, flooding, wetland degradation” Pollution and health problems

”Air and water pollution”Solid and hazardous wastes

Urbanization Has Disadvantages

” Excessive noise” Noise pollution impairs or interferes with

hearing, and causes stress and accidents

” Local climate effects and light pollution” Cities tend to be warmer, rainier, foggier, and

cloudier than rural areas” Urban heat island” Artificial light has affected some species

(disorientation, natural behavior, higher predation levels, disrupts light sensitive cycles, higher mortality rates).

Poverty and Urban Living

” Slums” Areas dominated by dilapidated housing” Squatter settlements and shantytowns Scavenged materials, on unoccupied land

without the owner’s permission

” Terrible living conditions Lack basic water and sanitation High levels of pollution

Cities Can Grow Outwardor Upward

” Compact cities” Hong Kong, China

” Tokyo, Japan

” Mass transit

” Dispersed cities” The United States and Canada

” Car-centered cities

Pros and Cons of Motor Vehicles

” Advantages” Mobility and convenience

” Provides jobs

” Production and repair of vehicles

” Supplying fuel

” Building roads

Pros and Cons of Motor Vehicles

” Disadvantages” Accidents kill 1.25 million people per

year globally and injure another 50 million

” Kill 50 million wild animals and pets per year

” Largest source of outdoor air pollution

” Helped create urban sprawl and car commuter culture

” Traffic congestion

Reducing Automobile Use

” Full-cost pricing–environmental gas tax” Consumer education

” Funds for mass transit and bike lanes

” Opposition from car owners and industry

” Raise parking fees

” Charge tolls on roads, tunnels, and bridges

” Car-sharing networks

Alternatives to Cars

” Foot power” Bicycles” Buses” Heavy-rail systems

” Subways, elevated rail, and metro trains

” Light-rail systems” Streetcars, trolleys, and tramways

” Rapid-rail system between urban areas

Conventional Land-Use Planning

” Land-use planning ”Governments control uses of certain parcels of land by legal and

economic methods” Zoning

”Land designated for certain uses”Mixed-use zoning

Smart Growth

” Set of policies and tools that encourage environmentally sustainable development

” Uses zoning laws to channel growth and reduce ecological footprint

” Reduces dependence on cars” Discourages sprawl” Many European countries

” High taxes on heating fuel and gasoline encourages compact cities

Preserving and Using Open Space” Urban growth boundary

” U.S. states: Washington, Oregon, and Tennessee

” Greenbelts” Canadian cities: Vancouver and

Toronto

” Western European cities

” Municipal parks” U.S. cities: New York City and San

Francisco

New Urbanism

” Conventional housing development” Rows of houses on standard-size lots

” Cluster development” Mixed housing types and green space

” New urbanism: environmental sustainability” Walkable, bike friendly neighborhoods” Mixed use and diversity” Quality urban design; smart transportation” Sense of community

The Eco-City Concept: Cities for People, Not Cars

” Eco-city (or green city)” New model for urban development

” People-oriented, not car-oriented

” Walk, bike, or use mass transit

” High percentage of MSW reused, recycled, or composted

” Tree planting

” Vertical farms

” Environmental justice

The Eco-City Concept in Curitiba, Brazil

” Ecological capital of Brazil

” Superb bus rapid-transit system” 85% of the city’s commuters

” Streams and parks

” Recycling programs

” Care for the poor

” High literacy rate

” Population increased fivefold since 1965

Eco-Villages

” 50–150 people come together to design and live in more ecologically, economically, and socially sustainable villages in rural and suburban areas” Solar and wind power

” Energy-efficient housing

” Organic farming

” 2014: more than 400 eco-villages in over 70 countries