Learning Objectives
1. Urban populations
• outputs—solid, atmospheric and liquid waste, noise, people.
• the urban ecological footprint.
• one environmentally sustainable pollution management strategy
• one strategy to control rapid city growth resulting from in-migration.
- Define urbanization and explain the variation in global growth rates and patterns.
- Explain the processes of centripetal movements (rural–urban migration, gentrification, re-urbanization /urban renewal).
- Explain the processes of centrifugal movements (suburbanization, counter-urbanization, urban sprawl).
- Explain the contribution of natural change to patterns of population density within urban areas.
- Explain the global increase in the number and location of megacities (population over 10 million).
- Explain the location of residential areas in relation to wealth, ethnicity and family status (stage in life-cycle).
- Examine patterns of urban poverty and deprivation (such as slums, squatter settlements, areas of low-cost housing and inner-city areas).
- Analyse the causes and effects of the movement of socio-economic groups since the1980s.
- Explain the spatial pattern of economic activity, the zoning of urban and suburban functions and the internal structure of the central business district (CBD).
- Describe the informal sector; its characteristics and location in urban areas.
- Analyse the causes and effects of the movement of retailing, service and manufacturing activities to new locations, including brownfield sites.
- Examine the effects of structures and human activity on urban microclimates, including the urban heat island effect and air pollution.
- Analyse the other symptoms of urban stress including congestion, overcrowding and noise, depletion of green space, waste overburden, poor quality housing, social deprivation, crime and inequality.
- Describe the city as a system in terms of:
• outputs—solid, atmospheric and liquid waste, noise, people.
- Distinguish between a sustainable circular system where inputs are reduced and outputs are recycled and an unsustainable (open/linear) city system with uncontrolled inputs and outputs.
- Referring to at least two city case studies discuss the concepts of:
• the urban ecological footprint.
- Evaluate one case study of each of the following:
• one environmentally sustainable pollution management strategy
• one strategy to control rapid city growth resulting from in-migration.
Urbanisation and theories
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Urban microclimates
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Urban environments
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The impacts of Urbanisation
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Sustainable Cities
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Further Reading
- How are cities' accelerating growth affecting the poorest children? Mar 6, 2014Tags: Urban environments, Urban populations, Urban stressby: Kathleen Noreisch
- Upgrade your slum Feb 6, 2014Comments:Slum upgrading in Sao Paulo Brazil - Reuben SnyderTags: Urban environments, Urban stress, The sustainable cityby: Reuben Snyder
- Walkable Cities Nov 4, 2013Comments:Interesting Tedx video on changing our dependency on cars and urban sprawl. - Cory KeelerTags: The sustainable city, Urban environments, Urban stress, ib_geog2009by: Cory Keeler
- Urbanized movie trailer Oct 31, 2013Comments:good introduction movie for IB Urban Environments unit - Cory KeelerTags: IB, Geography, Urban, Environmentsby: Cory Keeler
- London's demography: Gentrification blues | The Economist Sep 18, 2013Tags: ib_geog2009, Urban land use, Urban populations, gentrification, poverty, londonby: Kathleen Noreisch
- Fatberg ahead! How London was saved from a 15-tonne ball of grease | Environment | theguardian.com Aug 6, 2013Tags: ib_geog2009, Urban stress, london, pollution, Sustainabilityby: Kathleen Noreisch
- 22 Words | Maps of major cities as abstract modern art [7 pictures] Jul 24, 2013Tags: cities, maps, Urban environments, Urban land useby: James Mattiace
- Interactive map: England's green belt - Telegraph Jun 26, 2013Tags: Urban environments, The sustainable city, london, green beltby: Timothy Swan
- BBC - Future - Technology - 2050: Building better cities for an overcrowded world Jun 18, 2013Tags: future, technology, cities, Urban stress, Urban environments, The sustainable cityby: Timothy Swan
- BBC - Future - Science & Environment - Solving transport headaches in the cities of 2050 Jun 18, 2013Tags: future, science, environment, transport, The sustainable cityby: Timothy Swan
- Google Street View Captures Stunning Images of American Poverty Too | Motherboard Jun 17, 2013Comments:Interesting take on the voyeurism and imagery of Google Earth. - James MattiaceTags: Urban environments, Urban stress, google, street, view, povertyby: James Mattiace
- Seoul tears down an urban highway and the city can breathe again | Grist Jun 13, 2013Highlights and Sticky Notes:tearing down a busy, elevated freeway, re-daylighting the river that had been buried beneath it, and creating a spectacular downtown green space, all in under two and a half years — is nothing short of amazing
- Robert Neuwirth: The power of the informal economy | Video on TED.com Jun 13, 2013Highlights and Sticky Notes:Robert Neuwirth spent four years among the chaotic stalls of street markets, talking to pushcart hawkers and gray marketers, to study the remarkable "System D," the world's unlicensed economic network. Responsible for s...
- Toward Zero Waste: Mumbai's Informal Recycling Economy | Sustainable Cities Collective Jun 13, 2013Highlights and Sticky Notes:Mumbai’s rapid growth, high density, and sheer size present significant challenges for its waste management system. The enormous quantity of waste generated in the city makes large-scale, technologically driven “solutio...
- 37 Things to Consider Before Moving to Portland | Estately Blog Jun 12, 2013Comments:Yep. Urban pull factors, stages in the life cycle, and just plain fun, - James MattiaceTags: Urban environments, The sustainable city, portland, Urban populationsby: James Mattiace
- BBC News - London's Romanian 'shanty town' Jun 11, 2013Tags: london, romanian, shanty, town, managing, urban, change, growth, as, level, slum, Urban stress, Urban populations, Urban environmentsby: Matt Corke
- IRIN Africa | NIGERIA: Lagos, the mega-city of slums | Nigeria | Economy | Governance | Urban Risk Jun 11, 2013Tags: africa, nigeria, economy, governance, managing, urban, change, issues, water, pollution, waste, disposal, development, Urban stress, Urban environmentsby: Matt Corke
- 12 Cities Leading the Way in Sustainability | BillMoyers.com Jun 5, 2013Tags: sustainability, Urban environments, The sustainable city, Urban stressby: James Mattiace
- São Paulo - The Megacity and the Favelas | Arts 21 - YouTube May 9, 2013Tags: são paulo, Urban environments, The sustainable city, youtubeby: graham maltby
- The São Paulo Series: Full HD Teaser - YouTube May 9, 2013Tags: são paulo, ib_geog2009, Urban environments, Urban populationsby: graham maltby