MPH1.pptx

1. URBANIZATION
COL ARIF KHAN
MBBS, MPH, MSc (Med Adm), CHPE
A/Professor AFPGMI

2. Urbanization
Urbanization studies examine the demographic
shift to cities, carefully watching population
numbers, population density and distribution,
and how a city grows outwards or “vertically”.

4. Urban
There is no universal definition of an urban area and
countries use different criteria to define a place as urban. An
urban area has been defined by one or more of the following:
• Administrative or political boundary,
• a threshold population size (where the minimum for an
urban settlement is typically in the region of 2,000 people,
although this varies globally between 200 (Sweden) and
50,000 (Japan)),
• population density,
• economic function (e.g., where a significant majority of the
population is not primarily engaged in agriculture) or
• the presence of urban characteristics (e.g., paved streets,
electric lighting, water supply, etc.).
Sustainable urbanization strategy UND P

5. Urban
• Countries differ in their definitions of urban,
although it is fairly common for the urban
population to consist of those living in towns
and cities of 2,000 or more, especially if the
population is largely non agricultural.
• In densely populated Japan, the term “Urban”
refers to areas with populations of 50,000 or
more and with a population density of 1,544 or
more per square Kilometer.
• In the United States, places with populations of
2,500 or more are considered urban.

6. Urbanization Trends (UNDP)
• In 1950, only 30 % of the world’s population was
urban. In 2014, 54 percent was urban, with the
proportion being higher in developed countries.
However, Africa and Asia are urbanizing faster than
other regions and, together with Latin America,
account for more than 90 percent of global urban
growth.
• By 2020, the majority of people in developing
countries will live in cities and, by 2050, the
urbanization rate in developing countries will
reach 63.4 percent, not far off the global average
of 66.4 percent.

7. https://ourworldindata.org/urbanization

8. https://ourworldindata.org/urbanization

10. Urbanization Trends (UNDP)..
• Just a few countries are home to half of the
world’s urban population. China has the
largest urban population (758 million),
followed by India (410 million). These two
countries account for 30 percent of the world’s
urban population. Together with five other
countries – US, Brazil , Indonesia , Japan and
the Russian Federation – they account for
more than half of the world’s urban
population.

11. Urbanization Trends (UNDP)..
• The growth of cities can be the result of several
factors, including natural increase, migration
from rural areas, annexation and reclassification
of previously rural areas as urban.
• Identifying the relative contributions of each of
these factors to urban growth has implications
for policy and planning. For example, a city
growing primarily as a result of rural migrants
will require a different set of policy and planning
solutions compared to a city where growth is
primarily due to natural increase.

12. Urbanization – Good or Bad
Cities and urban centers are accelerators for social and
economic progress.
• The economic dynamism of cities provides
livelihood opportunities and social mobility
possibilities not found in rural areas.
• Throughout history, cities have been hubs of
innovation in technology, commerce, social
organization and ideas. The concentration of people,
resources and ideas allows innovation to occur at
tremendous speed, generating economic activity
and wealth at unprecedented rates.

13. Urbanization – Good or Bad..
• Cities also provide opportunities for social
mobility that are unavailable in traditional
rural environments.

21. Urbanization – Good or Bad…
Caught in a ‘perfect storm’ of population
growth, escalating adaptation needs and
substantial development deficits created by a
shortage of human and financial resources,
increasing levels of informality, poor
governance, environmental degradation,
biodiversity loss, poverty and growing
inequality

22. Urbanization – Good or Bad..
• Urban poverty is growing
• Cities are key contributors to many environmental
problems ( Air & Water pollution)
• Cities are highly vulnerable to climate change impacts
• By 2040, the world’s energy systems will need to
serve 9 billion people, with two thirds of them in
urban areas. The urban poor in many developing
countries who typically have access to some
electricity face a number of challenges. (blackouts,
fluctuations etc)
• cities remain strongly divided and segregated
spatially and socially.

23. Urbanization – Good or Bad…
• Urban unemployment and underemployment
• Limited public space for city residents
• Vulnerable groups such as youths, migrants and
IDPs often experience marginalization and
stigmatization.
• The shift of populations to urban areas also has
economic, social and governance consequences
for peri-urban and rural areas
• Rapidly growing cities in developing countries
are struggling to provide the infrastructure,
services and governance systems

24. Urbanization – Good or Bad…
• The degree of social integration and cohesion
in a community also affects the rates of
crime, violence and peaceful coexistence.
• Rural-urban migration can also be highly
gendered.

25. Challenges in Urbanization
Cities around the world will face different challenges unique to
their regional characteristics.
• Arab region, the main challenges cities face are lack of
accountability and participation, overly-centralized planning,
absence of civil society groups, conflict related displacement
and in-migration.
• In the Asia-Pacific, challenges include demographic
pressures, multiplication of medium-sized and small urban
centers, extreme poverty and inequality, frequent climate
change impacts and disasters and resulting displacement.
• In Central Asia, they include the transition from autocratic to
democratic systems, decentralization and lack of resources.
• In Africa, the population explosion, poverty and inequality,
conflicts and disasters, disease and epidemic outbreaks, and
tribal culture versus modernity are issues. (UNDP)

27. Planning Tools for Urban Sustainability
(UNDP)
UNDP’s has recently completed a study to identify
the characteristics of the range of existing tools for
municipal planning, which include areas such as,
• Social and political inclusion of vulnerable
populations through developing ways and
means for government to be more
representative of the population
• Building government capacities to improve local
service delivery for poor and marginalized
populations

28. Planning Tools for Urban Sustainability
(UNDP)
• Building resilience to disasters and climate-related
shocks, especially for marginalized groups
• Reducing environmental pollution and degradation
• Promoting investment for sustainable energy and
climate change mitigation measures
• Addressing data gaps on social and economic
indicators
• identifying future oriented investments that reduce
spatial inequalities and improve livelihoods for
urban poor

30. Population Density
Population density refers to the number of
inhabitants per square kilometer (or mile) in a
given area. Yet for some, densely populated
cities bring to mind unmanageable crowds and
unlivable conditions.

31. Vertical Density
• Vertical density destined to uplift cities
• There is no question that cities must build
vertically to accommodate dense
populations. Experience shows that density
without skyscrapers simply does not work.

32. • Urban planners see opportunities in
population density and point out that “urban
density” can also make progress and growth
accessible to more people
• By combining high-rise living with excellent
transportation, energy-efficient grids, and
green spaces, cities can get the most out of
dense populations, and more residents can
get the most out of their city.

33. Hong Kong: The city with highest
vertical density

34. • Vertical density makes a difference
• Take the example of Mumbai. Limits on
development height have kept housing scarce
and expensive, and disconnected to a greater
infrastructure. Singapore, in comparison, has
a “high” downtown full of skyscrapers. Hong
Kong, even more vertical, has successfully
combined vertical density with, pedestrian
friendly streets and skywalks.

35. THANK YOU