2A: Urban Issues and Challenges

Question 1

what is urbanisation?

Answer 1

the process by which an increasing percentage of country’s population comes to live in towns and cities

Question 2

how does urbanisation in LICs compare to HICs?

Answer 2

urbanisation is happening much faster in LICs due to the rapid economic growth they are experiencing which fuels rural-urban migration

Question 3

which factors affect the rate of urbanisation?

Answer 3

1) rural-urban migration (the movement of people from the countryside into towns and cities)
2) natural increase (when the birth rate is higher than the death rate)

Question 4

what are the push factors causing rural-urban migration?

Answer 4

1) natural disasters
2) war and conflict
3) mechanisation
4) lack of employment

Question 5

what are the pull factors affecting rural-urban migration?

Answer 5

1) more jobs
2) better education and healthcare
3) increased quality of life

Question 6

what causes an increase in birth rate?

Answer 6

1) high percentage of the population are child-bearing age which leads to a high fertility rate
2) lack of contraception or education about family planning

Question 7

what causes a lower death rate?

Answer 7

1) higher life expectancy due to better living conditions and diet
2) improved medical facilities help to lower the infant mortality rate

Question 8

what is a megacity?

Answer 8

A city with more than 10 million inhabitants

Question 9

where are megacities located?

Answer 9

More than two thirds are located in NEEs and LICs

Question 10

how can water conservation be implemented?

Answer 10

1) collecting rainwater for gardens and flushing toilets
2) installing water meters and toilets that flush less water
3) educating people on using less water

Question 11

how can energy conservation be implemented?

Answer 11

1) promoting renewable energy sources

2) making homes more energy efficient

Question 12

how does creating green space in an area improve peoples’ quality of life?

Answer 12

1) provide natural cooler areas for people to relax in
2) encourages people to exercise
3) reduces the risk of flooding from surface runoff

Question 13

how can waste recycling be implemented?

Answer 13

1) collection of household waste
2) more recycling facilities
3) greater awareness of the benefits of recycling

Question 14

how does Curitiba conserve energy?

Answer 14

1) energy efficient lightbulbs in streetlights
2) biodiesel buses
3) 84% of energy from HEP

Question 15

how does Curitiba conserve water?

Answer 15

1) water metres installed

2) separate pipes for drinking water and rainwater collection

Question 16

how does Curitiba carry out waste recycling sustainably?

Answer 16

1) Green exchange program (slum dwellers exchange rubbish for food or bus tickets)
2) mobile markets sell blemished foods
3) 420,000 tonnes of annual waste split into organic and inorganic

Question 17

describe the green spaces in Curitiba

Answer 17

1) 28 parks covering 21 km2

2) builders are given tax breaks if their building projects include green space

Question 18

how is Curitiba’s transport managed sustainably?

Answer 18

1) the BRT transports 20,000 people an hour (triple articulated buses and at peak buses arrive every 60 seconds to maximize capacity)
2) 200km of bike lanes to encourage people to cycle

Question 19

what is a greenbelt area?

Answer 19

a zone of land surrounding a city where new building is strictly controlled to try to prevent urban sprawl

Question 20

what is urban regeneration?

Answer 20

the investment in the revival of old urban areas either improving what is there or clearing it away and rebuilding

Question 21

what are brownfield sites?

Answer 21

areas of lands that have been previously used but have subsequently become vacant, derelict or contaminated

Question 22

what is an integrated transport system?

Answer 22

the linking of different forms of public and private transport within a city and the surrounding area

Question 23

what environmental problems can congestion cause?

Answer 23

increases air pollution and releases greenhouse gases which leads to climate change

Question 24

what economic problems can congestion cause?

Answer 24

companies lose money as congestion makes people late for work and business deliveries take longer

Question 25

what social problems can congestion cause?

Answer 25

air pollution causes health issues for pedestrians and there is a greater risk of accidents

Question 26

how is traffic managed sustainably in London?

Answer 26

1) congestion charging schemes introduces which means cars entering central London have to pay
2) cross rail being built to encourage greater use of public transport
3) cycle lanes and ‘Boris Bikes’ discourage car use

Question 27

how is traffic managed in Singapore?

Answer 27

electronic road pricing (ERP) charges vehicles entering an area and allows authorities to pinpoint specific congested spots and vary the congestion charge and operating hours according to prevailing traffic conditions

Question 28

How many kilometres of bike lanes does Curitiba have?

Answer 28

200km