Introduction
Physical growth of cities is known as urbanization. This is a time that our environment undergoes serious changes. Involvement of human being is very high in worst changes in the environment. Many serious discussions are going on in different parts of the world for the protection of environment. Urban areas are more responsible for production of substances that make serious damage to environment. So, while discussing about urbanization, it is inevitable to discuss about environment. Here, I am discussing environmental challenges and benefits of urbanization. I have briefly explained some benefits that can accrue to environment because of urbanization. I have discussed how well-planned cities can reduce threat to environment. Industrialization is a major reason for environmental problems. Lifestyle of urban people is also a reason for increasing damage to environment. I have also included the discussion about two award winners of 2008 in the area of environmental protection.
Environmental benefits and challenges of urbanization
Urbanization brings different kinds of changes to environment. These changes can either be challenging or beneficial for environment. Lots of planning is necessary to make urbanization beneficial for environment. For example, over-use of vehicles can be reduced to a great extent in a perfectly planned city. If enough facilities are arranged in cities for walking and riding bicycle, it not only reduces the usage of vehicles but the air pollution that happens due to enormous fuel consumption also can be reduced to a great extent. Compared to villages, it is easier to implement drainage systems and control pollution, at least to some extent, in cities. But, development in this way would take more time as it should be done carefully.
When industries are established, financial profit becomes the only aim of entrepreneurs. Environmental protection doesn’t get much consideration. It is a fact that it is very difficult to balance environmental protection and financial profit. So entrepreneurs don’t like to take the ‘risk’ of protecting environment. Very huge concrete buildings are the main feature of cities. These concrete buildings are the major reasons for increase in global warming which can even cause threat to the existence of human being on earth. Byproducts of different industries also can make bad impact on environment.
Most of the discussions that take place about urbanization and environment mainly concentrate on by-products of industries, concrete walls, emissions from vehicles etc. But there are some other elements related to environmental damage, like lifestyle of urban people, which are often neglected. Unlike village people, usage of personal vehicles becomes inevitable for urban life.
The issues related to lifestyle of urban people don’t end with the usage of vehicles. Consumption style of urban people is also entirely different from people in rural areas. “People who live in urban areas have very different consumption patterns than residents in rural areas. For example, urban populations consume much more food, energy, and durable goods than rural populations. In China during the 1970s, the urban populations consumed more than twice as much pork as the rural populations who were raising the pigs.” (Torrey, 2010, para.10).
Two of the 2008 award winners
Water and Sanitation Extension Program (WASEP) is a practice that won Dubai International Award for best practice in 2008, planned and executed by Aga Khan Planning and Building Services in Pakistan. It was organized by this organization in 1997 aiming at making infrastructure services. Improvement of the environmental health in local areas is one of the specific objectives of the organization. The activities of the organization are committed to reduce the time spending for collection of water especially in mountainous areas, making water available and providing infrastructure for sanitation, eradication of mortality of children due to diseases spread through water and above all, it aims at the reduction of health expenses of the poor. There are five major objectives for the organization. They are design, install and supply sufficient infrastructure for potable water and infrastructure for drainage, entrust and train the local organizations for the maintenance and operation of infrastructure, encourage hygiene behavior, raise the life quality of mothers and their children and make sure of women’s participation in making community decision. The main community interventions of WASEP are mobilization of people in the community, infrastructure for potable water distribution, management of quality water, infrastructure for drainage, infrastructure for sanitation and awareness for health and hygiene. The financial and other technical supporters for the organization are UNDP, World Band, GFCP, Aga Khan University and Aga Khan Foundation and they entrust other local organizations for the maintenance of the project. The activities of the organization have caused changes in good direction. More than 155,000 people could collect potable water due to this project in northern part of Pakistan. 9,200 toilets were constructed in the local areas and more than 5,700 health awareness sessions were conducted by the organization. There is a visible reduction in the spread of water-borne diseases due to the committed plans and their execution by the organization. The basic factors that led to the sustainability of plans are community development, quality infrastructure, optimizing impact, local human resource use and social cultural sustainability.
Spanish Network of Cities for the Climate is a practice, which also received Dubai International Award in 2008 organized by “Federaciَn Espaٌola De Municipios Y Provincias” which is an organization in Spain. This organization works with European Union directives in association with the Kyoto protocol which is the framework of United Nations on climate change. It needs the formulation of policies by the local government in various sectors such as transportation, waste management, town planning etc. The objective of the organization aims at bringing sustainable development in the level of municipalities. The organization has formed various strategies to address the issue of climate change. Transport is one of the major reasons in changing the climate due to the emission of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and other gases. Therefore, the organization aims at making use of other means of transport that are not dangerous for health. Energy from firewood, coal, petrol causes pollution; so there is need for the consumption of energy sources which do not result in pollution of atmosphere. Town planning is designed to make the towns very efficient and compact. The network plays a vital role in the management of climate in association with corporations and municipalities. It works in close connection with the government and its policies are formulated for the revival of climate. “The network is an instrument for co-ordination of local policies in mitigating climate change in Spanish towns and cities, and maintains cordial working relations with other like-minded European and Latin American organizations.” (Winners, 2008, para.4).
The fund for the network is raised from the government department for environment of Spain. The organization gives awareness on the climate and its today’s challenges. The success of the organization is held in close tie-up with the department of the government and it helped formulate the policies according to the interest of the nation and organization. The sustainable plan of the organization is reduction of emission of green house gas and the coordination of the project with the municipal representatives helped to improve benefit and cost ratio.
Summary
Industrialization is one of the major reasons for environmental problems that we face. That is the main reason for connecting urbanization with environmental challenges. At the same time, it cannot be ignored that consumption pattern of urban people is also a very important reason to raise environmental challenges. But, we cannot say that urbanization should be stopped as it would prevent the development of the world. What we can do is make well planned cities that can prevent environmental damage.
Activities of Water and Sanitation Extension Program (WASEP) in the area of health and environment are appreciable. Even though the risk factor was very high in implementing infrastructure for the activities in Pakistan, their mission was not a failure. The organizations which provided financial assistance for brave mission of WASEP also should be appreciated. Spanish Network of Cities for the Climate was awarded for a very different purpose. Their mutual work with Latin American and European Union organizations was recognized properly by selecting for the award. They made great contribution in participating municipalities in activities to prevent climate change. Activities of these kinds of organizations also would be helpful for creating public awareness about climate change and environmental challenges.
Reference List
Torrey, B.B. (2010). Urbanization: An environmental force to be reckoned with. PRB: Population Reference Bureau. Web.
Winners: 2008: Spanish network of cities for the climate. (2008). Government of Dubai, Dubai International Award for Best Practices. Web.