Introduction-annie

Topic: To what extent can the problems of urbanization be met a policy of sustainable development?
Subtitle: Are the policies successful [by sustainable development] for the process of urbanizaion in Beijing?

Today, urbanization is increasing in the developed and developing countires both. And it defined as "the shift from a rural to an urban society, and involves an increase in the number of people in urban areas during a particular year." It brought many problems and was challenged by many developing countries, such as unemployment rate growth, inadequate health and environment degradation. According statistics show that more than half of population of the world people (6.6 billion people) lived in urban areas (Gyabaah, K.). In China, in the past two decades, there is significant of economic growth in human history by a process of urbanization. The population has migrated from rural to urban in a massive scale with economic growth opportunities.

[China Government] has proposed satellite city plan as a city outward expansion in Beijing. As well, Beijing as the economic and cultural centre, there are more than 3 million inhabitants be attracted to live in Beijing by 2020 (Applyyard, 2007；P3). Beijing is impressing by people with rapid changes, such as new skyscrapers construction, growing greenbelts and new transportation construction. In the meanwhile, the process of urbanization and massive population migration have brought many problems on environment and people's healthy. Such as traffic congestion, pollution, highly housing price and water crisis...Therefore, we have to consider that urban expanding whether match the needs for population growth with limited resources.

However, China governement aware that they can maintain development in the process of urbanization, that will make sure sustainable development. It defined as "development which meets the needs of the present without sacrificing the ablility of the future" (Hussen,2004;P269). Government planed the "smart growth" policies, it aims to resources used more efficient. Especially, before Olympic, some policies carried on very efficient, such as underground routes expended, low carbon technology development and continue to construct the satellite cities. For this essay, I will decribe the problems of population growth, then I will discuss the solution by sustainable development with some policies. Finally, I will give some recommendation and conclude my opinions.

reference:
1 Applyyard,B. Zheng,Y. Watson,R. Bruce,L. Sohmer,R. Li,X. Qian,J. (2007), Solutions for China's rapid urbanization. Natural resources defense council.
China.nrdc.org/files/china_nrde_org/smartcities.pdf
2Gyabaah,K. Urbanization processes-environmental and health effects in Africa. PERN steering committee member and principal. Available from:
www.populationenvironmentresearch.org/Nsiah-Gyaabah_contribution.pdf
3 Hussen,A. (2004), Principles of environment economics, Simultaneously published in USA, p269.

The introduction of essay---Eddie

Topic: To what extent can the problems of urbanisation be met a policy of sustainable development?
Subtitle: To compare [A comparison of] sustainable development policies of Vietnam and UK

At the present time, it is interesting that there are more and more people try [gr] to move to urban areas which then expand extremely quickly. It can be seen that this migration trend has taken place all over the world and the size and the number of the world’s largest cities have reached the highest level ever. (Cohen, 2006) Following this trend, academics have coined a new word – urbanisation, which is widely defined as a trend that people migrate from rural areas to urban areas.

It is an undeniable fact that people move to cities for a lot of factors, such as getting high salaries, better life conditions, and more opportunities. In addition, local governments welcome people moving to urban areas, since these additional labours can stimulate economic growth and local competitiveness. However, along with urbanisation development, not only have advantages, but also disadvantages been brought to the cities simultaneously. For instance, urbanisation might result in more serious pollution, traffic congestion, increased crime rates, energy deficiency, soaring housing price, and fierce competition in job hunting. All of these problems result in the decline of city competitiveness.

Encountering these serious problems, the UN and governments have paid attention to this issue. They try to solve this problem and commence implementing a variety of programmes, schemes and policies. These agendas are becoming the most urgent one to be implemented in many countries, especially Asian countries. Currently, most Asian countries are developing countries or undeveloped countries and suffer from serious urbanisation problems. In the recent twenty years, the UN and the governments have adopted sustainable development policies which are deemed as solution of urbanisation problems. Most governments have dedicated [^] to tailoring sustainability programmes or policies to reduce urbanisation problem and retain the original and potential benefits of urbanisation trend.

At the present time, there is still no specific definition of sustainable development. People with different backgrounds interpret this term in various ways (Van Pelt, 1994). On the other hand, sustainable development “has become widely used to stress the need for the simultaneous achievement of development and environment goals” (Pugh, 1996, P 23). Also, sustainable development is called eco-logical sustainability which can be divided five parts: economic sustainability, community sustainability, cultural sustainability and social sustainability. As a matter of fact, sustainable development is a long-termed programme which can improve environment, reduce the volume of resource used, and reduce waste (Mega, 1996a).

[It can be found that] Asian and Western countries have different cultures which may result in a variety of sustainable development patterns. Therefore, the essay will first describe urbanisation in Asian and Western countries, then examine sustainable developments of Vietnam and England before comparison. Finally, the extent to different sustainable development should be applied to cities with different cultures and situations

Reference:
Pugh, C. (1996) Earthscan Publications Limited, Sustainability the Environment and Urbanization, P23, Available from: http://www.google.com/books?hl=zh-TW&lr=&id=959YxxBRMpgC&oi=fnd&pg=PA23&dq=sustainable+development%3B+city%3B+urbanisation&ots=Ruqa4cf3gw&sig=MEZAakUO75Rq0Ra0rNrNsovrFEs#v=onepage&q&f=false [accessed 07. 08.10]

Van Pelt, M. Kuyvenhoven, A. and Nijkamp, P. (1995) Defining and measuring sustainability. Institutional Journal of Pollution 5 (2/3), p.p.204-223

Cohen, B. (2006) Urbanization in developing countries: Current trends, future projections, and key challenges for sustainability, Technology in Society 28 (2006) 63-80

Mega, V. (1996a) Our city, our future: Towards sustainable development in European cities, Environment and Urbanization, 8 (1), p.p. 133-154

Ahmed's outline

mains problems :




- crowded cities , waste of time

- traffic problems

- effects on environment

- accidents and safety





solutions :



- create areas with no cars circulations

- create paying areas for cars

- encourage people to use rental cars

- encourage people to use more bicycles to go to work/schools

Jackie's outline

Outline
Title: to what extend can the problems of urbanization be met by a policy of sustainable development?
Subtitle: challenges for sustainable development by rapid urbanisation in London.
Thesis: urbanisation does bring a lot of problems for sustainable development, and to examine the causes and consequences.

Introduction:
Definition of urbanisation
Give the background: urbanisation is the worldwide developing trend
Definition of sustainable development.
Brief The conflict between urbanisation and sustainable development.

Main body:

Detailed describe the conflict between urbanisation and sustainable development in
-----pollution
-----transport
-----water land
-----workforce and unemployment
-----high stress and pressure

Take London as a case to analyse the causes and consequences in these aspects above

Conclusion:
Too rapid urbanisation is a big challenge for sustainable development, it brings a lot of problems
Sum up the main causes and consequences.
Give some recommendation and possible solutions.


References:
JSTOR_ The Town Planning Review, Vol. 45, No. 2 (Apr., 1974), pp. 216-218
C.G. Bentham Which Areas Have the Worst Urban Problems? Urban Stud 1985 22: 119
Rachel Ramsey 2006 The language of urbanization in John Stow's: survey of London
Rui Wang Sustainable Urban Development in China A Literature Review on Issues, Policies, Practices, and Effects,2009
http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/9290/

The essay of outline ---Eddie

Title: To what extent can the problems of urbanisation be met by a policy of sustainable development?
Subtitle: To compare sustainable development policies Vietnam and UK

Introduction:
 The definition of urbanisation
 The definition of sustainable development
 The problems of urbanisation general background such as overcrowded (high population density), traffic problem, crime, high housing price, more competitive for job, and pollution problem
 Differences between Asian and Western cultures result in various patterns of sustainable development
 To compare Vietnam and England sustainable development
 Thesis: the extent to which sustainable development policy fit in these two countries will also be examined.

Main body
 Describe urbanisation in Asian and Western countries
 Sustainable development in Vietnam and England
 For instance: Ho Chi Minh City vs. England city
 Comparison between two cities

Conclusion
 Summary of content in the main body
 To extent to which development policy fit in these two counties will also be examined.

Reference
Darkakis-Smith, D & Dixon, C (1997) Sustainable Urbanisation in Vietnam, Geoforum Volume 28. Issue1, February 1997, Pages 21-38
Pugh, C (1996) Sustainability the environment and urbanisation, Earthscan Publication Limited
Counsell, D (1999) Sustainable Development and Structure Plan in England and Wales: Operationalising the Themes and Principles, Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, 42:1. 45-61

Introduction (Reza)

To what extent can the problem of urbanisation be met by a policy of sustainable development?
Scope: Traffic jams and public transportation.

Introduction

This essay attempts to describe the effects of sustainable development on the problems of urbanisation and bring about a solution to different aspects of it. It also focuses on noise pollution and the measurement taken against it.
Since human beings life changes constantly, they commence to think of the better ways of moving around rather than on foot. People transformed from ‘hunt gathering’ to agriculture which was still before the industrial revolutions (the 18th) which spread out from England to the world and developed rapidly after the invention of steam powered machines. Nowadays people are moving to the huge cities mostly because of jobs opportunities and of course making more money in the capitals rather than their perhaps small hometowns or let’s say rural areas.
Urbanisation refers to the process of increasing population in the cities and physical growth of a city in general. Most of people are immigrating from rural to urban areas because of facing to economic difficulties in small towns in terms of job opportunities and markets. Obviously, depending of limited capacity of cities this may cause problems such as housing, traffic jams, parking spaces, jobs, pollutions and etc. Also it is widening the gap between poor and rich and at the end of day it will increase crimes. Additionally with the high speed growth in urbanisation and industrialisation all the natural resources are in danger of extinction which is a very important case.The extender of civilisation means replacing the nature with buildings and roads as well and still the traffic jams are one of the biggest problems of capital and big cities. In simple terms the process of manufacturing cars is much faster than building roads and motorways.
Sustainable development refers to the proportional amount of consumption of resources available to an extent in which it meets the human needs and at the same time preserves the environment so our generation and the future one can have their fair share out of it. In 2009 DEFRA(Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) mentioned that over the past 20 years it has been clear that the growth of development has been unsustainable and the negative effect of our consumption pattern has had damaged the environment and also climate.
Sustainable development attempts to keep up the way of natural systems through the social challenges concerning the humanity, giving no less value to the environmental concerns as well. It is clear that development in the present should not compromise the future life. That is why the concept of needs and the idea of limitations are introduced; so that it doesn’t harm the system which is the world that we are living in.
Sustainable development is a global term which began in Europe and it includes all aspects of better standards of life, environment and economy. This study argues the advantages and disadvantages of sustainable mobility of traffic jams problems and whether it is a way forward for providing better lifestyle or not.

Bibliography:

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McCormack, J. & Slaght, J. (2009). Extended Writing & Research skills. Published in UK by Garnet Publishing, 4th edition www.environmental-protection.org.uk [accessed 06/07/2010]
Munasinghe M. (1997). ‘Environmental economics and sustainable development’ published in Washington D.C. by The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, third edition.
Pearce, D. and Barbier E. & Markandya A, (1997). ‘sustainable development economics and environment in the third world’, published in London by Eathscan Publications Ltd.
Rijnders, E. & Janssen, N. & Van Vliet, P. & Brunekreef, B.(2001). ‘Personal and outdoor Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations in relation to degree of urbanization and traffic density’. Environmental Health Perspective. Vol. 109. Available on line at www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [accessed 03/07/2010]
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Nick's essay introduction

Title: What extent can the problems of urbanization be met by a policy of sustainable development?
Subtitle: what are the impacts of massive population growth by the policy of sustainable development in Shanghai? [not clear]

Introduction:


For promoting the economic development and improving human beings life standards, urbanization has become the main trend in lots of countries. So what is urbanization? Actually urbanization is a process that humans entered industries era, the proportion of agricultural activities began to decrease in some areas, and on the contrary, a proportion of non-agricultural activities began to increase. It also means that more and more rural population transformed into urban population. In fact urbanization is the product of the industrial revolution. It is a symbol [?] of city development. What the urbanization brings for us contain a growth of economic, a progress of the society, an improvement of technology and so on. However, when we appreciate these significant achievements of urbanization, some problems because of urbanization also cannot be ignored, such as a rapidly increasing proportion of urban population. More and more rural people migrate into urban. Therefore, we need to consider that whether a city could dominate the continuous expansion of the population with a limited resource. More and more household refuse and auto emissions also could cause lots of serious pollution.

For solving these negative impacts, many countries have mentioned that “sustainable development” will become an important strategy to face with urbanization issue. So what is sustainable development? In fact, sustainable development is a growth model of long term development. The currently definition explained by the World Commission on Environment and Development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (WCED, 1987; P 43). Generally, sustainable development involves main 4 aspects which are environment、science、society and economic. For long-term interests, sustainable development has a close relationship with urbanization issue. For instance, the strategy of SD needs to deal with some issues about how to allocate the resources efficiency, how to decrease the pollution and how to balance the ecological environment in a city.

In some developing countries, urbanization is more serious [?] than developed countries. In China, Shanghai as an international city could be a typical example. From the Shanghai Statistics office, there are more than 19 million people in 2010. Among this figure, the number of floating population is more than 5 million. And currently the area of Shanghai covers about 6340.5 Km2. it shows a high density of population in Shanghai. Seriously [?], due to urbanization this high density is increasing rapidly. It causes lots of problems such as serious traffic jam, less planting, poor environment and so on. Especially, because of economic risk in recent years it will also bring a higher unemployment. It is really hard to find a job. For dealing with these urbanization problems, the government has made some policies such as transfer factories to suburbs; build more complete public transport system and explore Pudong as a new urban area. In my essay I am going to talk about more problems because of urbanization, and how to deal with them by sustainable development. And also I will give an assessment for these achievements and policies. Finally, I will give some recommendations.


Reference
1) Qing S, (1997). Urban transportation in Shanghai, China: problems and planning implications.
2) Liu T, (1994), Urban renewal and development of Shanghai city. Journal of Chinese geographical science. Volume 4, Number 3, PP. 219-231,1994.
3) http://www.stats-sh.gov.cn/2005shtj/2009shgl/rkjy/userobject1ai8633.html
4) http://www.shanghaihighlights.com/essentia
5) Shanghai Municipal Statistics Bureau. 2002. Shanghai Statistical Yearbook. Beijing: China Statistics Press
6) World Commission on Environment and Development. Our Common Future. (New York: Oxford University press, 1987)