Urban Issues and Challenges — AQA GCSE Geography
The world is becoming increasingly urban. This unit examines the growth of cities and the opportunities and challenges they create.
Global urbanisation
Urbanisation is the increasing proportion of people living in towns and cities. It is happening fastest in lower-income (LICs) and newly emerging economies (NEEs), driven by rural–urban migration (push and pull factors) and natural increase. Megacities (over 10 million people) are growing rapidly.
A city in an LIC or NEE (case study)
A case study of a major city in an LIC/NEE (e.g. Rio de Janeiro, Lagos, Mumbai) should cover:
- its location and importance regionally, nationally and internationally,
- causes of growth (migration and natural increase),
- opportunities — social (services, healthcare, education), economic (jobs) and provision of resources,
- challenges — managing squatter settlements (slums), providing clean water, sanitation, energy, healthcare, education, reducing unemployment and crime, and managing environmental issues (waste, air and water pollution, traffic).
- An example of how urban planning is improving life for the urban poor.
A UK city (case study)
A case study of a major UK city (e.g. London, Bristol, Birmingham) should cover its importance, the impacts of national and international migration, and:
- opportunities — cultural mix, recreation, employment, integrated transport, urban greening,
- challenges — urban deprivation, inequality in housing/education/health, urban sprawl, and managing waste and pollution.
- An example of urban regeneration.
Sustainable urban living
Sustainable cities use water and energy conservation, waste recycling, green space and integrated, efficient public transport to reduce traffic congestion.
Exam tips
- Define urbanisation and explain push/pull migration factors.
- Use two named case studies (one LIC/NEE city, one UK city).
- Balance opportunities against challenges for each city.
- Learn features of sustainable urban living and a regeneration example.