Issues & Solutions Within Urban Areas
Problems within urban areas
- There are many problems throughout the urban area
- Some are specific to particular zones, whilst others are more general:
- The CBD for instance, has a particular problem with the lack of space for development, the high cost of land and meeting strict planning and government policies
- Congestion and pollution are concentrated in the CBD but is also a general urban issue
- Other problems include:
- Pollution
- Inequality
- Housing
- Congestion
- Crime
- Land-use change
Congestion
- Congestion can delay journeys and make people late to their destinations
- It increases fuel consumption
- Adds to emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants
- Has a negative impact on people's health due to stress and poor air quality - diesel fumes are carcinogenic
Pollution
- Pollution can be divided into air, noise, light, visual and water
Air
- Half of the world's urban population is affected by poor air quality
- Thousands of people die each year from air pollution-related conditions - asthma, lung cancer etc.
- With the growth of industrial development and population, there is a rise in the number of vehicles
- This increases the demand for energy, heating etc and with rapid urbanisation in LEDCs the rate of pollution is worse
- Few LEDCs have the resources to cope with this - India has some of the most polluted cities in the world and the causes include:
- Burning fuelwood indoors
- Using paraffin for cooking and heating
- Weak or no government pollution controls
- Use of cheap or poor grade coal
- Burning of rubbish and plastics
- MEDCs have been through de-industrialisation and have the economic, political and technology to deal with air pollution
- A major source of air pollution is car emissions and many LEDCs do not have fuel-efficient, up-to-date vehicles
- Also, crowded and poorly organised road systems add to the problem of congestion but also air and noise pollution
Noise
- Noise pollution arises from a number of things:
- Road traffic
- People
- Music
- Weather
- Road surfaces
- Barriers
- Doors and shutters etc.
- Noise pollution has been associated with mental stress, anger issues, sleep deprivation, hypertension and heart disease
Light
- Light pollution is common where any form of human habitation is found
- Light pollution arises from street lighting, homes, shops, factories, and offices
- The 'bright city lights' have always been a discussion point for the 'pull' factor of cities
- Light pollution is linked to headaches, loss of sleep, disruption of nocturnal animals and wasted energy
- Cities can be seen from space due to their lighting
Visual
- This is where the 'look' of the area becomes offensive
- It can be different for each person, but can include:
- Run-down, derelict buildings, streets or neighbourhoods
- Graffiti and tagging
- New architecture or roadways
Water
- Water pollution causes a variety of diseases, such as diarrhoea and dysentery, which can lead to death
- Water pollution is widespread as rivers are used to dump large amounts of pollutants from a variety of sources, including:
- Industrial discharge
- Vehicles
- Residential/commercial wastewater
- Rubbish
- Chemicals and other toxic wastes
- Polluted stormwater and runoff from urban landscapes
Inequality
- All cities have inequality ranging from wealth to housing to employment
- The wealthy can afford to live in the desirable area, with the poor being located at the fringes of the inner city, edge of town estates or high-rise flats
- In LEDCs, as poor rural migrants arrive, there is a lack of affordable housing and demand is high
- Temporary or informal settlements arise, adding to overcrowding and poor living conditions, so adding to already cramped/congested conditions around the fringes of the city
- Many people are unable to find formal, regulated, regular employment and this leads to high levels of unemployment, underemployment, or informal unregulated employment
- The informal sector is the main employment for many people in LEDCs
- Even when there are new factories with regular paid opportunities, these are often too far away from areas where newcomers live
- There is inequality in terms of educational attainment and achievements. access to healthcare, and other opportunities, with the wealthy supporting their children and family throughout their younger lives and beyond
- Poorer families expect their children to work to help support the family and this leads to a lack of general education and skills
- Literacy & numeracy rates are lowest in LEDC countries
Housing
- Housing is expensive in relation to general wages, with many families sharing one house or just a room
- Opportunities for landlords to set high rents and no building maintenance (slum landlord)
- Poor transport links, make inner city housing the most desirable and expensive
- There is a division in the quality of housing available, with many houses in LEDCs without adequate space, running water or sanitation
- Waste removal is inadequate or non-existent, leading to the spread of diseases
- Lack of access to electricity leads to people burning fuelwood, coal or paraffin
Crime
- Crime is concentrated in areas of high population densities: congested areas
- Crime is partly due to a lack of job opportunities and large-scale unemployment
- Main criminal activities include drug and human trafficking, drug abuse, violence (domestic and social), rape, and robbery
- The poorest areas of the city (slums) are usually ruled by gangs and intimidation
- The wealthier areas see car theft, kidnapping, and property damage