6.2 Urban trends and issues of urbanisation

Urban growth - process of urbanisation and its causes and consequences in LICs, MICs and HICs including counter urbanisation and re-urbanisation, competition for land and urban renewal. - concept of a World City: causes of growth of world cities, development of a hierach

Define urbanisation

The process whereby an increasing proportion of the population lives in urban settlements in a given area

Causes of urbanisation

• natural population growth

• Rural-urban push and pull factors leading to rural-urban migration

• In LIVs: better healthcare/ education and food imported, higher wages, employment protection, government investment policies :)

Urbanisation consequences

• Overcrowding: rapid population rise leaves houses overcrowded, children may be abandoned, and people forced to sleep rough.

• Squatters: houses built on unused land (dirty, unsafe, polluted) as no housing available.

• Lack of available work: labour influx exceeds demands, so people unemployed. Many unskilled labourers cause wages to decrease – enhances poverty. Factories employ women and children to do dirty and dangerous work.

• Pollution: smoke and toxic liquids directly released. Raw sewage and rubbish dumped and flows into rivers.

• Taxes: councils can’t raise taxes when many are in poverty/the informal sector, so public services and infrastructure begin to suffer.

• Crime: generally, increases.

• Improvement strategies: if money is available, build high-rise housing. Self-help schemes. Site/service schemes (where services and jobs are provided).

What is counter-urbanisation

process of population decentralisation, that tends to occur in HICs as people move from urban areas to rural settlements, and adds to the effect of urban decline. In most places counter urbanisation is counteracted by in-migration.

What is re-urbanisation

movement of people and economic activity back into the CBD and inner/industrial areas. May just be a temporary phase as a result of large cash injections, or a result of the changing times (4 million extra houses needed in UK – most will be urban).

Competition for land

reflected in land prices and property rental prices. Often competition leads to derelict sites, social classes forced into ghettos and poorer people being forced out of the inner city.

Urban renewal

can be property-led, partnership schemes or private initiatives; where the best parts of a location are kept, and adapts them to fit new uses.

• Urban redevelopment: involves complete clearance.

Urban regeneration

a program of land redevelopment that usually makes attempts to fix urban decline, allowing business and higher-class opportunities.

What is a world city?

Major centre for finance, politics, trade, culture, business. Serves more than a country or single region.

Causes of growth of the world cities

TNCs - central HQ, manufacturing outsourced to LICs with cheap labour

Communications: phone, internet provide service all around the world

Demographics - high natural increase and ‘in-migration’ produce a large working population

How are world cities put into a hierarchy?

Based on Global Cities Index. Rankings consider 24 measures across business activity, human capital, information exchange, cultural experience, political engagement.

alpha++ London NY

Alpha + Hong Kong, Paris, Dubai, Tokyo

Alpha Milan, Beijing, Mumbai, LA

Alpha -, Miami, Dublin, Melbourne, New Delhi

Beta+, Beta, Beta- Washington, Oslo, Munich

Gamma+, Gamma, Gamma- Manchester, Perth

What sectors that experience growth make up the index? (World cities)

Economics: New York Wall Street and London stock exchange global leaders. HSBC bank in London.

Politics: EU HQ in Brussels, Belgium. Houses of Parliament in London.

Culture: London attractions such as Buckingham Palace. Universities and food.

Technology: tech firms, public transport - Hong Kong, green energy in Amsterdam

What is difference between a world city and a mega city

World city - city judged for importance in part of global economy, politics or culture vs mega city = city with more than 10 million residents