Corrosive Urbanization?

1. Corrosive Urbanization? A Study of the Relationship between Urbanization and the Environment By Jeb Burchenal

2. Outline • Introduction • Causes of Urbanization • Effects of Urbanization on the Environment • Conclusion

3. Outline • Introduction • Status of Global Urbanization • Developing vs. Developed World • Causes of Urbanization • Effects of Urbanization on the Environment • Conclusion

4. Introduction Status of Global Urbanization

5. Introduction Developing vs. Developed World • Less developed world is dominating the face of world wide population growth • 2050: 70% of the world’s population will live in urban areas • 1950: 70% of the world’s population lived in rural areas

6. Outline • Introduction • Causes of Urbanization • Sub-Saharan Africa • The United States • Effects of Urbanization on the Environment • Conclusion

7. Causes of Urbanization Sub-Saharan Africa • Population Growth • With higher TFRs and increasing life expectancy, the populations in the third world are growing rapidly • The developing world will account for future increases in global population while the developed world stagnates or declines • Thus, would expect higher levels of urban populations • Rural-to-Urban Migration • Increased education in rural areas has created a skilled labor class with no access to decent paying jobs, thus the move to the nodes of economic activity: cities

8. Causes of Urbanization The United States • Urban Sprawl begins to take shape on the heels of World War II for several reasons… • Federal Housing Administration (FHA) guarantees loans to home builders and aid to new home buyers • Veterans Affairs (VA) includes incentives in veterans plans for purchasing a single-family home • Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 • Change in accounting principles make commercial real-estate extremely profitable • Enormous post-war economic boom creates new middle-class with money to spend

9. Outline • Introduction • Causes of Urbanization • Effects of Urbanization on the Environment • Sub-Saharan Africa • The United States • Conclusion

10. Urbanization and the Environment Sub-Saharan Africa • Traffic Congestion • Lack of traffic infrastructure • Increased population on roads • Aged technology with higher fuel emissions • Pollution of Air and Water • Lack of proper sewage, water and electrical infrastructure • Improper disposal of waste pollutes water and soil • Ecological Degradation • Urban expansion invading ecological refuges • Pollution destroys surrounding ecological areas

11. Urbanization and the Environment The United States • Urban Sprawl leads to two major environmental problems: increased traffic congestion and increased land consumption • Increased Traffic Congestion: • Longer commutes • Slower Speeds (due to increased traffic) • More Greenhouse Gas Emissions • Increased Land Consumption • Lower residential density • Vacant land pockets • Encroaching on agriculture?

12. Outline • Introduction • Causes of Urbanization • Effects of Urbanization on the Environment • Conclusion

13. Conclusion • Urbanization leads to tangible negative environmental externalities across the globe • Less Developed World • Rural-to-Urban migration is straining the already underdeveloped infrastructure of metropolitan areas creating environmentally taxing results • More Developed World • Urban Sprawl leads to increased traffic congestion and increased land consumption, both of which effect the environment negatively