GEOS1100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Counterurbanization, Ecological Footprint, Sustainable Development
29 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
WEEK 3
LECTURE
Cities and the Environment
The significance of cities
• Wellsprings of civilisation (democracy, centre of political control)
• Engines of economic growth (cities are the drive)
• Nodes of connection in a globalised world (ideas, finance and people are moving
amongst people but not nations) so interconnected more so that theyre in the same
space. Connections are conformed
• Major consumers of natural environment and major producers of waste (cities can drive
mass consumption) new technology that can work in urban areas? - solar panels,
recycling, public transport. Sharing resources is much more efficient that older
traditional models. Can be a challenge/opportunity
The evolution of cities
Global diversity
Cities as a place to live- the urban environment
How cities affect the natural environment
Origin of Cities
• The first Agricultural Revolution (when humans stopped hunting and gathering)
• Settling into villages --> cities are emerged
• More complex, trading component, religious power, political power, trading between
cities = supporting new urban growth. Significant cities in 3000-4000 DC
• Rome was one of the earliest large cities
• What happened in 90s that allowed more rapid and growth? - space time compression. -
industrial revolution pushed towards growth. Big consume in calories. Prior to
industrial revolution, was the 2nd agricultural revolution
• Some parts of Africa, can see urbanisation without industrialisation
• Can link back to demographic transition model
Urban vs Rural populations
• How many people live in megacities? 9% of population
• Most of world's population live in smaller cities
Sources of urbanisation
1. Migration rural - urban (most common driver)
Employment- still major driver (also during industrial revolution)
2. International migration (growth)
New York, Singapore, Australian cities, Dubai
3. Natural increase (births -deaths) - responsible for 60% of growths. Mortality is high +
fertility is high
4. Reclassification of areas (statistical way to measure)
City - large, nucleated settlement, multifunctional character, residential and non residential,
has central district
Town - smaller in size, less functional complexity but still have a nucleated business district
WEEK 3
Urbanised area - continual build up landscape e.g. the physical city
Metropolitan area - large scale functional entity may contain a number of urbanised areas
operating as an integrated economic whole
Look at population aspect- need to look at boundaries
Defining urbanisation-
• The process whereby rising a proportion of the population comes to live in urban areas
• A change from rural to urban lifestyle and associated attitudes and values
• A measure of the proportion of the population living in urban areas
Driver of demographic change, as we become more urbanised our attitudes towards family
size will change
Voting patterns - more conservative
People in urban areas have a disconnect of environmental processes
Contemporary urbanisation
Urbanisation continues, but slowing in many cities
Cities now face focal points for people, ideas, resources
Urbanisation process has transformative
More developed countries
• Cities growing by international migration
• Some rural to urban migration but also counter urbanisation - tree change/sea change
• Growing intercity migration
• Some cities shrinking - e.g. Detroit
Less developed countries
• High rural urban flows (bright lights)
• Large rural population feeding urban growth
• High levels of natural increase
• Attempt to limit growth in cities
Document Summary
Sharing resources is much more efficient that older traditional models. Cities as a place to live- the urban environment. Origin of cities: the first agricultural revolution (when humans stopped hunting and gathering, settling into villages --> cities are emerged, more complex, trading component, religious power, political power, trading between cities = supporting new urban growth. Space time compression. industrial revolution pushed towards growth. Prior to industrial revolution, was the 2nd agricultural revolution: some parts of africa, can see urbanisation without industrialisation, can link back to demographic transition model. 9% of population: most of world"s population live in smaller cities. Sources of urbanisation: migration rural - urban (most common driver) Employment- still major driver (also during industrial revolution: international migration (growth) New york, singapore, australian cities, dubai: natural increase (births -deaths) - responsible for 60% of growths. Mortality is high + fertility is high: reclassification of areas (statistical way to measure)
