Urbanization Problems free essay sample

To what extent can the problems of urbanization be met a policy of sustainable development? Urbanization started during the industrial revolution and on that time workers were less interested in agriculture jobs and they moved to cities to acquire jobs in factories. Urbanization can be defined as the massive growth of people and migration of people from rural areas to large cities that also include growth of cities, social and economic development in the city. By the start urbanization in some cities they face to many urban problems in their cities.The main problems that cities face by urbanization are lack of urban space, housing, water, land and air pollution and urban transport problems (Bilham-Boult. et. al, 129). The idea of sustainable development promised that alternatives are available for the problems that come from urbanization in the cities (Adams, p. 140). The word sustainability has many meanings that according to Longman’s Dictionary of English Language (1991) ‘to sustain’ mean: to give support, to supply with sustenance, to cause to continue and many other meanings. There could be many different definitions of sustainable development.Brundtland says sustainable development is ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. Sustainable development states many solutions for relevant problems of urbanization that those solutions have worked before and had good results, so sustainable development can be a good solution to solve the urbanization problems in the cities. The population of the world is in increase nowadays and this growth of population also increase demand to facilities that many countries face to the problem of lack of urban space.Lack of urban space in countries make up many other problems in the city, that the major problems that come up from lack of urban space are housing, water, land and air pollution. Housing is one of the relevant problems to lack of urban space it has become a serious problem in many countries. For example, in Mexico poor people’s houses are mostly located on edges of the city, people has built many houses on public places and even on some farmer’s land that are illegal and don’t have coordination with the city master plan and these houses has made many shanty towns in the city (Bilham-Boult. et. al, 129). Also, other relevant problems to lack of urban space that comes from many sides like, problems of sewage system that still some cities sewerage draw out into rivers and in most places that people live illegally like shanty towns they don’t have sewerage systems and there is no doubt that those sewage may go to the other people’s drinking water supply. Land and air pollution is another concern which comes from lack of urban space. â€Å"Illegal dumping of industrial waste and refuse from the ‘informal sector’ creates land pollution† (Bilham-Boult. et. al, 129). Besides this, millions of cars with old insufficient engines and use low quality petrol make the atmosphere of the city full of air pollution which is also an environmental and an urban transport problem (Bilham-Boult. et. al, p. 129). As day by day the population increases in a city the issue of transport also become important. When thousands of people start rural to urban migration their needs also become more and more day by day. They use city buses or have their own cars that clearly the number of cars also increases in the city and this can bring many problems to urban transport. The problem of traffic congestion that goes with a balance if the numbers of cars are in increase the problem of traffic congestion also increases with it. When people move to cities obviously for continuation of their lives they need to work and earn money which in some places their jobs become more dispersed that causes an urban transport problem, because traditional forms of public transport can only work in limited areas. Another problem is the combination of population and physical area with demographic trends and land use patterns that makes the transport planning difficult (Thisdell, p.126). Another problem that comes from population growth in cities is that car ownership also rises with the growth of population (Newman, p. 152). Every problem can have many solutions and ways to solve it, but it is important to find a comprehensive, universal and lasting solution for every problem to solve it completely and permanently. One way that can discourage people from moving to cities is to make improvement in other areas out of cities and bring those facilities and advantages that are not available in out of cities, so that people do not prefer city rather than other areas.This can be done by making better the educational system, social services, improving employment opportunities and making better transport system for people in other areas out of city (Bilham-Boult. et. al, p. 129). The problem of housing can be solved by building houses with great compactness and building some tall buildings with many apartments or floors outside the city that attract people who live in other areas (Bilham-Boult. et. al, p. 129).In a city that has millions of population obviously there will millions of cars in the city which bring pollution and, in addition to people the public transportation should also take care of pollution. To get rid of this pollution there should be enhanced transportation for public, awareness and knowledge should be provided about environmental issues, clean fuels should be used by cars, factories should use modern technologies and there should the act of fine against any illegal reaction by people and relevant companies (Bilham-Boult. et. al, p. 129-130). Another problem that concerns urban transport is traffic congestions in the city. Many strategies are available to stop traffic congestion from the city. One way to stop traffic congestion in cities is to reduce the number of private cars; citizens’ dependence on private cars can be decreased by cities that a good example of this solution is Zurich and Singapore (Newman, p. 154). Another solution for this problem can be high traffic management systems which can bring competence for road use and also for drivers to use the roads without any traffic congestion in the city (Newman, p.154). Firstly, if we go through the meaning of sustainability according to the Longman’s Dictionary of the English Language (1991) the verb ‘to sustain’ means: to give support or relief to, to supply with sustenance, to cause to continue, to support the weight of, to bear up under, to endure (to suffer, to undergo). These meanings all deal with continuousness that can be social, economic or environmental. There can be many definitions of sustainable development.As specified by Brundtland; sustainable development is ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs’. Sustainability was first time expressed by British legislation in 1991, in the act for the establishing of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). This idea started its international usage in 1980s and first time used by British law in 1993. After the SNH set up, it defined sustainability ‘the ability of an activity or development to continue in the long term without undermining that part of the environment which sustains it’.While in 1991 when other UK national conservation agencies established they introduced some other definitions about sustainability. Sustainability became an important idea which was not only dependent to one part in every parts like economy, politics and environments this word got a significant usage. In fact, this word got the ability that led people to express their various ideas effectively. This word was described as ‘the latest buzz-phrase to hit the planning profession’ by the Council for the Protection of Rural England (Adams, p. 137-138).When population grows rapidly in the city, people start migration from rural areas to cities the city face a big change. This includes social, economic and environmental development in the city and that countries become a developed country. Besides this, many problems also come with urbanization that the main problems are lack of urban space that consist many other problems with it and urban traffic problems that each of these problems could have many solutions. A solution that should be universal and suitable for all these urban problems can be sustainable development.Sustainable development is a solution that many countries have experienced during their urbanization age. Sustainable development is a solution that has worked before and had good result for many countries. The problem of lack of urban space and urban transport problems that cities face during their urbanization ages could be solved by following sustainable development policies. Sustainable development introduces many comprehensive policies for the problems of lack of urban space and urban transport that these policies have been experienced before and had good result.