Natural Environment and the Urban Centres - Essay Example

 Natural Environment Imposes Limitations on the Growth and Sustainability of Urban Centres Introduction Urbanisation is the current trend in this generation. This is characterized by the rapid development and growth of cities to compete in the global market. Alusi, et al. (2011) examine the flow of urbanisation that is influenced by the two forces: natural environment’s threat and population. Urban development or growth is associated with industrial evolution, which is evident in the huge infrastructure, facilities, and home rental, in line with providing the needs of city dwellers. The needs of individuals are centered on the four aspects: economic, environmental, social including health and cultural needs, and political. These four aspects intertwined with sustainable development, which is defined as the ability to provide the needs of the present without affecting the capability to meet the needs of future generation (McGranahan & Satterthwaite, 2003, p.244). This raises the question whether the investment of government to provide the economic and political needs does not hamper its ability to secure their social and environmental aspect. According to Cohen (2006, p.64), city supports the economic and social growth for every individual because it has the capacity to attract investors wherein the employment rate increases. Major cities are considered as the centre of business activities in the developing countries. Moreover, social development includes high literacy rate, health and well-being of the public, status of women, and social flexibility. Cities also showcase their culture because of the constructed art galleries, museum, theaters, and fashion houses. Despite the positive implication of urban growth and development, it poses threats to the earth’s sustainability. “Cities take up little more than 1.5 percent of the earth surface (200, 000 square kilometres, or the size of Senegal)” (Newman, 2006, p.279). The numbers signify the projected impact when the city dwellers continue to grow. In 2000, the United Nations estimated that, by 2030, the world population of urban dwellers will comprise of 60 percent (Ascione, et al., 2009, p.238). The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of cities growth to the natural environment, which affects its sustainability with reference to Sao Paulo. Case Study -- Sao Paulo The case will examine the development of Sao Paulo as one of the largest ‘urban agglomeration’ in Brazil, which is located in South America. Sao Paulo was not a highly developed and industrialised city with a population of 65,000 in 1890 compared to Rio de Janiero of almost half a million. With the development of manufacturing enterprise in Sao Paulo, the population increased by 240, 000 in 1900s because of immigration. Sao Paulo constantly evolves into a productive city, which becomes the centre of manufacturing business that is the source of Brazil’s total industrial product (Cohen, 2003, p.23). The Metropolitan of Sao Paulo has population of 16.4 million that implies of the need to extend the area from the centre, which accounts for 8,051 km (Cohen, 2006, p.38). Thus, as the population grows, the there is the larger need for space or area to accommodate residents. Cohen (2006) indicates that adjacent to the development is the transformation of the physical and social structure of a city. The attraction of huge investments to construct airports, manufacturing plants, and wide office space transferred to ‘urban fringe.’ The urban centre of Sao Paulo became the command area that dispersed in the regional or global operation, for example, telecommunications, law office, banking, information services, and management (e.g. financial and consulting). Due to the development in Sao Paulo, it faces many environmental and ecological concerns such as sanitation, traffic congestion, and pollution. These signs are the effects of urban sprawl. Urban Sprawl Pohanka (2004, p.242) defines urban sprawl as the ratio of agricultural lands converted to residential areas to shelter the growing population. The conversion results to diffuse development that “increases traffic, saps local resources, and destroys open space.” The author noted that urban sprawl is connected with the description of unplanned development, scattered business and residential spaces, and the increasing distance etc. It has been studied that the outcome of urban sprawl includes pollution and public safety. Pollution As indicated in the Sao Paulo’s situation, urban sprawl is attributed to traffic, congestion, pollution, scattered business centres and insufficient public transportation. The increasing population dispenses the impact of urban sprawl enumerated above. Consequently, population increase results to the conversion of agricultural lands to accommodate the numbers of residents. Most residential areas are formerly agricultural lands, which are suitable in cultivating and growing plant. In effect, it decreases land areas that are suited for agriculture. This conversion is associated with unplanned development and the offices and residential areas separated through distance. The separation results to the increasing number of inner city immigrants. Due to the scattered development, urban sprawl encourages transportation that boosts air pollution, which slows down the development of suburbs. This increases the requirement to depend on the automobile. Aside from air pollution, the alarming impact is centered on the vegetation and soil even at a substantial space or distance (Vadde & Aggani, 2012). The car or vehicle emits greenhouse gases that affect the earth’s atmosphere -- contributing to global warming. Global warming influences the growth of crops and vegetation because of too much heat. In addition, coastal areas are also polluted due to urbanisation, which destroys the natural cycle of hydrology and earth’s ecosystem. This scenario warns the people on the possibility of scarred resources that are found in the ocean. Pohanka (2004) added that the water is vulnerable to pollution because urban areas account 43 percent of pollutants that caused by urban sprawls. Furthermore, urbanisation constitutes the reclaiming of wetlands to add space for residential and business. Pohanka (2004, p.243) detailed that the “loss of wetlands is estimated at more than 100, 000 acres lost per year.” Wetlands have a role in mitigating water pollution because they strain urban runoff, which is the source of pollutants. It is noted that wetlands are converted to provide a wider parking space and road, but it has an adverse effect such as floods and flood damage. Public Safety Urban sprawl eliminates the sustainable development of cities because it is linked with unhealthy environment. According to Pohanka (2004), the health of individuals is constantly at risk due to the pervasive problem such as pollution. The author indicates that urban sprawl results to asthma and respiratory infections. The accessible roads and dependency on vehicles or other means of transportation end with cardiovascular disease and stroke because people have reduced their physical activity such as walking. The second consequence of urban sprawl on the physical health of individuals is road accidents. This is due to the “unfriendly pedestrian lanes, high speeds, multiple lanes, no sidewalks, long distances between intersections or crosswalks, and roads lined with apartments” (Pohanka, 2004, p.244). Thus, urban sprawl is detrimental to the general welfare of the public because it increases the mortality rate of a nation. Pollution profoundly affects low-income households because they cannot afford to stay in a quality and safe environment. Urban residents are located in a slum area where there is no access to adequate “sanitation, drainage, and solid waste collection services” (Ichimura, 2003, p.3). The uncollected and improper disposal of solid waste pollutes the groundwater and blocks the drainage system. The major problem in the advent of urbanisation is the management of waste brought by industrialisation. In most cases, solid wastes are disposed in shores or ocean, which affect the fisheries that supply the basic need of humans. In addition, urbanisation challenges the city development officer to provide a sufficient amount of water. Water scarcity is evident in developed cities due to the growing population in urban areas (Lowry, et al., 2011). Aside from the shortage of water supply to be consumed in household activities, residents have insufficient access to potable water that adversely affected their health. Sustainable Urban Development The problem imposed by urbanisation indicates the incapability of the government to sustain life on Earth due to the adverse effects of industrialisation. It cannot achieve the environmental and social needs of individuals even though other developing cities contribute to their political and economic needs. The United Nations pursues the goal of sustaining life on Earth through the ecological footprint and promoting efficient and sustainable development. Ecological footprint analyses the proportion of natural resources to the needs of human beings. It calculates the ecological impacts of urban activities and provides guidance to achieve balance in pursuing development. The concentrated effort of the government is to create a sustainable environment wherein adequate resources are provided such as public health, improved sanitation, air quality, efficient use of agricultural and non-agricultural lands, and affordable housing for every resident (Rees & Wackernagel, 1996). Without a doubt, when the government addresses the issues of urbanisation, it will lead to sustainable urban development. Conclusion Urbanisation is the key to support the political and economic needs of residents because it provides employment opportunities for women and men. However, it has adverse effects on the environment and social factors due to industrialization, thereby produces urban sprawl. Urban development requires comprehensive planning to lessen the threat on the natural environment. Thus, natural environment enforces limitations on the development and sustainability of urban centres. References Alusi, A. et al., 2011. 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