Challenges of Urbanisation

& Globalisation

Prepared by:Khairul Hisyam Kamarudin, PhD

Feb 2018

Based on original lecture note by:

Wan Nurul Mardiah Wan Mohd Rani, PhD

Introduction

URBANIZATION• What is Urbanization?

Urbanization refers to

the concentration of

human populations into

discrete areas, leading

to transformation of land

for residential,

commercial, industrial

& transportation

purposes.

URBANIZATION• Why does it matter?

Urban development has increased

dramatically in recent decades,

and this increase is projected to

continue.

On a national scale, urbanization

affects relatively little land cover,

but it has a significant ecological

footprint—meaning that even small

amounts of urban development can

have large effects on stream

ecosystems.

www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/wsfs/.../How_to_Feed_the_World_in_2050.pdf

By 2050 the world’s population will reach 9.1 billion, 34 percent higherthan today. Nearly all of this population increase will occur in developingcountries.

Urbanization will continue at an accelerated pace, and about 70 percentof the world’s population will be urban (compared to 49 percent today).

Income levels will be many multiples of what they are now.

In order to feed this larger, more urban and richer population, foodproduction (net of food used for biofuels) must increase by 70 percent.Annual cereal production will need to rise to about 3 billion tonnes from2.1 billion today and annual meat production will need to rise by over200 million tonnes to reach 470 million tonnes.

The world has considerable land reserves which could in theory be converted toarable land.

FAO projects that by 2050 the area of arable land will be expanded by 70 millionhectares, or about 5 percent. This would be the net balance of an expansion by 120million hectares in the developing countries and a contraction of arable land infavour of other uses in developed countries by 50 million hectares.

Fesh water reserves - at global scale, there are sufficient capacities, but these arevery unevenly distributed.

Demand for resources

URBANIZATION• Common ways to

quantify

URBANIZATION• Common ways to

quantify

Measure Description

% Total urban area Area in all urban land uses

% High intensity urban Area above some higher development threshold

% Low intensity urban Area above some lower development threshold

% Residential Area in residential-related uses

% Commercial/industrial Area in commercial- or industrial-related uses

% Transportation Area in transportation-related uses

% Total impervious area Area of impervious surfaces such as roads, parking lots and roofs; also called impervious surface cover

% Effective impervious area Impervious area directly connected to streams via pipes; also called % drainage connection

Road density Road length per area

Road crossing density # Road-stream crossings per area

Population density # People per area

Household density # Houses per area

IMPA

CT

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http://article.sapub.org/10.5923.j.ijas.20140402.04.html

Land use map for Cameron Highlands in year 2005 (Left) and

in year 2014 (Right)

70% of trash is

recycled

Converting trash into

coupon (food & bus

passes)

Efficient transportation

planning

66% using public

transport (2.1 mil / 3.2

total population)

1 bus (300 pass @ 50k

people/hour)

GLOBALIZATION

According to Marcuse (2008 in Jenks et al) impact of globalization is the creation

of “World Class Cities”.

He has list some of the characteristics of really existing globalization, as they

effect urban development/ urbanization:

1. A concentration of ownership and control in the hands of a decreasing

number of overwhelming multi-national corporations.

2. A shift of power relations between firms, government and workers

3. Commitment of local governments to competition among cities for

economically profitable businesses.

4. A rapid development of technology, particularly in communications and

transportation and information processing, enabling much wider spans of

control and networking firms.

The impact of these forces on cities can be divided

between the impact on cities as a whole and the impact on

specific aspects of the built environment within cities.

Mainly economic process involving trade relations and

market process. Complex process, means different things

and delivering different outcomes to different countries and

people.

Often ignoring well being of people, burden with military

spending, corruption and cultural identity. Non economic

aspects of globalization i.e. political and cultural

globalization.

Large number of poverty (land grabbing issue) and low

life expectancy in less developed countries.

Imbalance in the ecological system and climate change.

Wars and friction either between or within nations.

Violation of human rights.

Corruption prevails.

Illiterate and low level of education in less developed

countries.

GLOBAL ISSUES

Food and water are basic commodities

to ensure populations survival and good

health.

Difficult if have to depend on

surrounding regions for this e.g.

Singapore which relies on foreign food

and water.

State’s control that influence personal

behavior through laws and penalties to

ensure environmental friendly behavior.

Environmental Implications for a Global City

Atmospheric changes:

Global warming – hot and dry spell that can lead to

drought and water shortages or major floods.

Ozone damaging chlorofluorocarbon – from air

conditioners and refrigerators.

Air pollution – derived mainly from lead and

carbon monoxide released from car vehicles

Global environmental change

Discussion

“Can urban development be sustained?”

Reducing

ecological

footprints

Sustaining the

production of

wealth

Reducing ecological footprints

• Urban “self-sufficiency” is impossible

• Geographical location does not equal ecological

location

• The wealthy have bigger footprints within a city

• Globalization can increase urban vulnerability

• Urban form and technology have important

environmental impacts

• Cities create ecological benefits, as well as costs

http://www.see-change.org.au/footprint-concept/

Sustaining the production of wealth

• Counting “goods” and “bads” equally

• Disregarding equity

• Ignoring changes in natural capital

• Not accounting for changes in human resources

• Failing to value noncountable economic activities

Dubai: Wealthy but with a big footprint?

Discussion

Principles for Sustaining Urban Development

• Address fundamental problems

• Deal with underlying causes

• Design with nature

• Share, adapt and replicate successful approaches

• Humanize cities

Issue Conventional Design Ecological Design

Key criteria Economic return Human and ecological health

Form Standard approaches are copied around the

globe

Designs respond to the bioregion, and local culture,

needs and conditions

Energy Bias towards non-renewable fossil fuels and

nuclear energy

Bias toward renewable energy and reduction of

greenhouse gases

Materials use High degree of waste, with air, water and land

degradation

Emphasis on reuse, recycling, ease of repair,

flexibility and durability

Time horizon Short-term Long-run

Spatial scale Focus on one scale Consider interrelationships and integrate across

scales

Relationship with

environment

Design is imposed on nature for better control;

nature is hidden

Design works with nature as a partner; nature is

visible

Knowledge base Narrow disciplinary focus Integrate across disciplines

Decision-making Top-down and expert-driven Participatory *

Discussion

Practical Lessons Learned for Planning & Designing

Urban

• Start with the problems of the poor and vulnerable

• Involved stakeholders – *bottom-up

• Use clear sets of criteria, objectives and indicators

• Find least-cost solutions

• Recognize and built capacity - *Curitiba

• Institutionalize the environmental dimension

Now lets see what our

neighbour (Indonesia)

has done (to address

this issue)?

Lessons learned from visit to Semarang, Central Java, 5-8 Feb 2018

Visit to Old City of Semarang(currently short listed for UNESCO world heritage status)

Currently undergone intensive urban regeneration projects

Visit to Old City of Semarang

Currently undergone intensive urban regeneration projects

Visit to Kampung Pelangi(Rainbow Village)

An urban slump area undergone regeneration project – local authority supply paints to residents + creativity become popular tourist attraction mainly for selfie and flowers/bouquets

Visit to Kampung Pelangi(Rainbow Village)

An urban slump area undergone regeneration project – local authority supply paints to residents + creativity become popular tourist attraction mainly for selfie and flowers/bouquets

Visit to Lawang Sewu(Building with one thousand doors)

Revitalise old train operation building (built by the Dutch). The first railway in Indonesia was constructed in Semarang connected all major settlements/cities built by Dutch

Visit to PekalonganThe Batik City of Indonesia

Pekalongan is currently listed under UNESCO Creative Cities Network

Visit to PekalonganThe Batik City of Indonesia

Visit to creative industry (turning garbage into money + owned and operated by locals + provide jobs for local people + preserve tradition + preserve and revitalise old buildings + curb outmigration + trained youths) + promote agglomeration and supply chain in SMEs

Visit to PekalonganThe Batik City of Indonesia

Pekalongan is currently listed under UNESCO Creative Cities Network

Visit to PekalonganThe Batik City of Indonesia

Pekalongan is currently listed under UNESCO Creative Cities Network

CONCLUSION

• Sense of place and community is the soul of

cities

In dealing with issues of urban dynamics,

sustainable city must have commitment to reflect the

need of the society through meaningful public

participation and consensus building. Local

government need to be transformed into a vibrant

and dynamic and challenging forum for debate.

References

• P. Marcuse and R van Kempen (2000), Globalizing cities – a newspatial order, Blackwell.

• H Richardson and CHC. Bae, (2005) Globalisation and urbandevelopment, Springer

• M. Jenks and N. Dempsey (2005), Future forms and design forsustainable cities, Architectural Press.

• A. Cuthbert, (2011) Understanding Cities, Routledge

• R.B Singh (2001) Urban Sustainability in the context of globalchange, Science Publishers.