IB Geography - Case Study - Shanghai Overpopulation

What are 4 major problems Shanghai is faced with at the moment

• Road Congestion

• Poverty/Overpopulation

• Air pollution

• Lack of clean water

How is road congestion an issue

1 in 10 people own cars per 1000 people so a large majority of the 29.87 million living in Shanghai are on the road at one time.

How is air pollution an issue

Huge amounts of congestion +  land and factory pollution fuelled by high population

How is poverty/overpopulation an issue

Rapid economic growth has attracted a large number of migrants, they are discriminated by the Hukou system. Means many of them are stuck in poverty with little means of development.

How is lack of clean water an issue

Only 3% of Shanghai’s river and lake water is clean enough for household use and over half of 2,500 lakes and rivers near the city are heavily polluted. Cancer rates have risen as a result

4 solutions against the road congestion issue

• Car pooling

• Car plate restrictions

  • 2-9 seaters banned in some areas at certain times.

  • Violators fined 200 yuan with three points deducted from driver’s licence

• More public transport/integrated transport

• Building more bridges

  • more space on the roads as cars can be spread out vertically.

  • Unsustainable when thinking about secondary effects of road congestion.

solutions against the air pollution issue

Government Mandate :The Shanghai Clean Air Action Plan.

• Personal penalties for company bosses of up to RMB 100,000

• Maximum fines for companies (RMB 500,000).

• The prohibition on burning straw/bonfires extended to all of Shanghai.

solutions against the overpopulation/poverty issue

• new urban areas,(Jing-Jin-Ji region) pushed towards the public.

  • Safer and nicer than the overcrowded slums.

• Some government officials put funding into the general management of city.

  • By upgrading urban infrastructure and providing more education, opportunities, healthcare and hospitals

solutions against the lack of clean water issue

GOV stated in 2022 they would spend 2 trillion yuan ($327 billion) to clean China’s polluted water