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Chapter 6
The Environment in the City
6.1 THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT
The problems of the urban environment are primarily associated with the
rapid increase in the human population over recent decades. One of the
most important indirect effects of this increase has been much more rapid,
unplanned and careless increase in the populations of many large cities,
especially in the developing countries. In 1970, 40% of the Earth’s population lived in cities; by 1999 this figure had increased to 48%, and it is
expected to rise to 60% by 2030. It is estimated that during the period
between 2000 and 2030 the world population will increase by as many as
2 billion people to the urban population exclusively.
It is obvious that urbanization, especially in developing countries, exacerbates the problems of the urban environment as shown in Figure 6.1.
The large concentrations of populations in urban centres along with other
factors such as the growth of the urban consumerist lifestyle are serious contributors to degradation of the environment, which includes the following:
• The urban environment has become less natural, due to the decrease
in vegetation, fauna and the naturalness of landscape.
• The periurban environment has become less natural, due to the development of transport infrastructure and other activities that serve the
city, as well as excessive logging in the developing world cities.
• Solid, liquid and gaseous waste, along with waste energy, are being
discarded into the broader urban environment.
• More natural resources taken from a much broader environment are
being consumed in order to serve the city.
• Adverse environmental conditions specific to indoor areas are being
created.
A range of environmental problems are created in cities over a certain
minimum size. The concentration of population characteristic of urban centres is a serious contributor to pollution and other ecological perturbations.
DOI: 10.1201/b14609-6
Chapter 6
The Environment in the City
6.1 THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT
The problems of the urban environment are primarily associated with the
rapid increase in the human population over recent decades. One of the
most important indirect effects of this increase has been much more rapid,
unplanned and careless increase in the populations of many large cities,
especially in the developing countries. In 1970, 40% of the Earth’s population lived in cities; by 1999 this figure had increased to 48%, and it is
expected to rise to 60% by 2030. It is estimated that during the period
between 2000 and 2030 the world population will increase by as many as
2 billion people to the urban population exclusively.
It is obvious that urbanization, especially in developing countries, exacerbates the problems of the urban environment as shown in Figure 6.1.
The large concentrations of populations in urban centres along with other
factors such as the growth of the urban consumerist lifestyle are serious contributors to degradation of the environment, which includes the following:
• The urban environment has become less natural, due to the decrease
in vegetation, fauna and the naturalness of landscape.
• The periurban environment has become less natural, due to the development of transport infrastructure and other activities that serve the
city, as well as excessive logging in the developing world cities.
• Solid, liquid and gaseous waste, along with waste energy, are being
discarded into the broader urban environment.
• More natural resources taken from a much broader environment are
being consumed in order to serve the city.
• Adverse environmental conditions specific to indoor areas are being
created.
A range of environmental problems are created in cities over a certain
minimum size. The concentration of population characteristic of urban centres is a serious contributor to pollution and other ecological perturbations.
DOI: 10.1201/b14609-6