Environmental Problems of Modern Cities

Updated on December 19, 2016

Traffic pollution, Delhi | Source

Introduction
Together with many social and economic benefits of urbanization, there are also environmental
problems. Cities comprise(заключают в себе) less than 3% of the Earth's surface, but there is an
extraordinary concentration of population, industry and energy use, leading to a massive local
pollution and environmental degradation. In the cities, approximately 78% of carbon emissions
are due to human activities. The ecological footprints of cities go (through
emissions(излучение), consumption(потребление) and other human activities) far beyond their
urban boundaries to forests, agriculture, water and other surfaces, which supply their residents so
that they have an enormous impact on the surrounding rural, regional and global ecosystem.

Mexico City | Source

Cities are therefore centers of consumption (energy, materials, ...), greenhouse gas production,
waste and emissions of pollutants in water and air. Ecological and sociological footprints of
cities have expanded over increasingly large areas and created urban - rural continuum of
communities, who share similar aspects of individual lifestyles. There are less and less areas in
the world which are not under the influence of the dynamics of cities.
The world faces enormous environmental challenges in terms of climate change, resource use
and protection of the natural environment. Urban areas have a high environmental impact that
can be felt globally, as well as within its own borders.

Shanghai smog | Source

Ecological footprint
The environmental impacts of modern cities go beyond their surrounding regions. Size, rate, and
connections of the modern metropolis show a global impact. The ecological footprint is one
measure of these effects. The ecological footprint of cities is defined as the total amount of
productive land needed to maintain current activities and the removal of waste. The ecological
footprint of cities such as New York and Tokyo are hundreds of times larger than their actual
size and are also faced with problems such as acid rain, reduction of the ozone layer and global
warming.
Los Angeles smog | Source
Developing countries
In the cities of the developing world, where population growth is outpacing the ability to provide
the necessary infrastructure and services, the most serious environmental problems are expected
in the immediate vicinity, with serious economic and social impacts on the urban population.
Inadequate water supply to households, the accumulation of waste and unhygienic conditions
require large claims in terms of unnecessary deaths and illness of one billion of the world
population who lives in slums(трущобы). Cities in developing countries are also faced with the
worst urban air pollution in the world, which occurs as a result of rapid industrialization and
increased motorized traffic. It is estimated that worldwide urban air pollution is cause of one
million premature deaths each year and costs 2% of the GDP in developed countries and 5% in
developing countries

Seoul smog | Source

Developed countries
The urban population of developed countries, which is characterized by some of the highest rates
of per capita consumption in the world is largely responsible for the resulting trends. US city
with 650,000 inhabitants requires approximately 30,000 km2 to meet their needs, similarly big,
but a less wealthy city in India requires only 2,800 km2. Similarly, the urban population of the
developed world produces six times more waste than urban dwellers(обитатель) in developing
countries.
However, developing countries are becoming richer and urbaner, and their levels of consumption
are close to those in developed countries. As a result, they rapidly and significantly contribute to
the global problem of resource depletion(истощение) and climate change. The need to change
the cities into more efficient and less polluted areas is, therefore, more necessary than ever.
While cities of developed countries have adopted policies and technologies to improve many of
their local environmental problems, it is growing recognition that human activities in urban areas
have significant impacts at the global level. In fact, cities of the world represent 75% of global
energy consumption and 80% of greenhouse gas emissions and a disproportionate share of
resource use.

Smog in Cairo | Source

Environmental problems of modern cities
Urban environmental problems are mostly inadequate water supply, wastewater, solid waste,
energy, loss of green and natural spaces, urban sprawl(pасползаться) pollution of soil, air,
traffic, noise, etc. All these problems are particularly serious in developing countries and
countries with economic transition, where there is a conflict between the short-term economic
plan and the protection of the environment.
Smog on Manhattan | Source
Pollution of the urban environment and its components is the total resultant of an excessive
burden on the environment and the self-cleaning capacity. Environmental problems in urban
areas are growing especially in cities in developing countries. Of greatest concern are the state of
air quality, noise, and congestion(перенаселение). In cities of economically developed
countries, the environmental problems related to industrial production, lodging(временное
жилье), and basic infrastructure are reduced, however, the problems of consumption (increasing
waste) and traffic problems have increased. Cities consume increasing amounts of natural
resources, produce more and more waste and emissions, and all this have an impact on the
regional and planetary environment. Air and water pollution and waste are the main
environmental problems in most cities. The underlying causes of air pollution of the city are the
processes that are associated with the burning of fossil fuels (production and consumption of
energy for heating buildings, industrial activities, traffic). Noise is also a special form of
pollution, which burdens the urban population. Urbanization causes numerous effects on water
resources; these effects can change the hydrology, water quality and availability of aquatic
habitats. Deterioration(ухудшение) in the quality of ground and river water in the cities is
mainly due to the water consumption of the population and industry.
Contamination(загрязнение) is usually caused by industrial activity as well as the disposal of
waste, so in cities is dominated water pollution from municipal and industrial wastewater. The
city is marked by large inputs of energy, water, food and a variety of raw materials, resulting in
large quantities of goods, as well as waste, which means a huge loss of natural resources in the
form of raw materials and energy. Urban ecosystems are indicated by a very high energy
consumption and large amounts of solid waste that accumulate in certain places. In this way,
they represent landscape degradation factor and adversely affect the quality of water resources
and urban air.
Nature
In most cities, a man transformed nature, vegetation was replaced with concrete, asphalt, and
other surfaces, transformed or buried riverbeds, caused city climate and created huge artificial
transfers of energy, water, and various substances. Growing cities are changing hydrological
relationships and thereby influence the size and frequency of floods. Knowledge of urban
hydrology and geomorphology is not only a key to good urban planning but should be available
to each resident.
Climate
Cities have little direct impact on the global balance of radiation, but inside urban climate,
generated by absorption and subsequen(последующий)t re-radiation of heat from built-up areas
and emissions of artificial heat through combustion(горение), creates the effect of the urban heat
island. Cities are warmer at night than the surrounding countryside and often, especially in the
higher latitudes(широта), even during the day. In Tokyo, anthropogenically generated heat
increases the temperature of the urban surface by about 1.5 ° C in summer and 2.5 ° C in winter,
the effect of urban land-use raises the temperature by about 1 ° C in both halves of the year.
Water
Even the hydrological cycle is increasingly under the influence of a man who uses water for
different purposes and returns it to the water cycle contaminated. These changes are in urban
areas so profound that we can speak of urban hydrology. Built-up areas create artificial
impervious(непроницаемый) surfaces that reduce surface water supplies, infiltration is gone,
surface flow, permeability(проницаемость), and erosion are increased, evaporation is reduced.
In a wider range, it comes not only to qualitative but also quantitative consequences (regulation,
dams, ...). However, human activity is reflected in the quality of water resources. The major
problem present urban waste water and residues(остатки) of pesticides and biocides, which pass
through the surface and groundwater. Freshwater resources in urban areas are also threatened by
the waste from transport, tourism, military activities.
Soil
Human activities have a negative impact on pedosphere; this is reflected in the increasing
chemisation and mechanization of agriculture and in the cities, however, especially as poisoning
the soil through contaminated air and precipitation(осадки) and changes in the quality of land
use for sealing.

Polluted air in Delhi | Source

Consequences and effects of urbanization
Knowing the problems of urbanization is not enough, it is necessary to understand their
implications(значение) and the degree of social preparedness to deal with them. Consequences
and effects of urbanization depend on many other factors and are operating in all segments of
human activity and the environment. They can be divided into several groups:
1. Environmental problems due to the production and consumption:

● increasing energy consumption, which results in a reduction of non-renewable resources

● problems of infrastructure that does not follow the spread of urbanization

● high consumption of drinking water, which affects the lowering of groundwater levels

● excessive use of space

2. Pollution problems from major manufacturers and emissions problems due to the
dispersed(рассеянный) agents:

● pollution of water, air, soil due to industry and agriculture

● problems of waste disposal sites, particularly radioactive

● the problem of the concentration of population (air pollution, groundwater ...)

● a dense network of roads and increase in traffic (air pollution, noise, ...)
3. Social and environmental problems and the consequences of urbanization (differences
between population groups, stress loads, accidents, disease, crime, ...)
4. The economic component of the effects of urbanization (accidents, the cost of building
infrastructure, road network damage as a result of an interaction of a large number of factors
which by themselves would not have negative effects on the environment, ...).

Smog over the city | Source

The future?
Where the cities trigger environmental problems, they also offer solutions. As 'hot spots' of
production, consumption and waste generation, cities possess the potential, which can increase
the energy efficiency and sustainability of society as a whole. Solving these problems is
beneficial for the environment, and also improves the health and wellbeing of citizens and should
be the basis of development that would make cities more attractive places for living and working.

consumption-the amount used or eaten

comprise-to have things or people as parts or members; to consist of

emissions-the act of sending out gas, heat, light, etc.

consumption-the amount used or eaten

slums-a very poor and crowded area, especially of a city

dwellers-a person who lives in a city, town, cave, etc.

depletion-a reduction in something

sprawl-to spread the arms and legs out carelessly and untidily while sitting or lying down

congestion-a situation in which a place is too blocked or crowded, causing difficulties

lodging-a situation in which a place is too blocked or crowded, causing difficulties

deterioration-the fact or process of becoming worse

contamination-the process of making something dirty or poisonous, or

the state of containing unwanted or dangerous substances

subsequent-happening after something else

combustion-the process of burning

latitudes-the position north or south of the equator measured from 0° to 90°

impervious-not allowing liquid to go through

permeability-the ability of a substance to allow gases or liquids to go through it

residues-the part that is left after the main part has gone or been taken away, or
a substance that remains after a chemical process such as evaporation

precipitation-water that falls from the clouds towards the ground, especially as rain or snow

implications-an occasion when you seem to suggest something without saying it directly

dispersed-spread across a large area