1. Section A- Urban Issues and Challenges Urbanisation Urbanisation
What is urbanisation?
The increasing growth of cities like Manchester and Rio de Janeiro as people move from rural (countryside) areas. As more people move in the hope of finding work and a better life then more homes are built. The city spreads outwards. This can sometimes be called urban sprawl.
Push & Pull factors are the reasons why people are leaving rural areas and moving to cities. This is causing rapid urbanisation in LICs and NEEs today.
Megacities have more than 10 million people living in them e.g. New York and Rio de Janeiro.
Natural increase (when the birth rate is higher than the death rate) is also causing rapid urbanisation in LICs and NEEs. In HICs lower birth rates and death rates means that growth is slower.
Urbanisation is also slower in HICs such as the UK as a a process called counter - urbanisation is taking place. This is when people move from the city to the countryside because they want to get away from traffic, crime and pollution in the city.
Where is urbanization happening fastest? Increasing number of megacities in LIC and NEE countries e.g. India and Brazil. Highest % urban is in HIC countries in northern hemisphere e.g. western Europe and North America at 75 – 100% urbanisation. Lowest is in central Africa with 0-25%

2. Opportunities in Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Opportunities in Rio de Janeiro
Brazil is a NEE country which means Newly Emerging Economy.
Many people are moving to the cities searching for opportunities such as jobs, healthcare, housing and education because there is little work in the rural areas.
Healthcare: scheme developed so that nurses visit the favelas, improving access to medical care. Infant mortality is 6.2/1000 now compared to 18/1000 in the rest of Brazil.
Employment: in the formal (paying tax) or informal economy e.g. selling on the beach. Massive tourist industry creates jobs. Trans National Corporations (TNCs) e.g. Jaguar Landrover are building factories which create thousands of jobs in the port area of Rio. Landrover employs 300 people.
Rio de Janeiro is Brazil’s second largest city. It’s urban population is growing quickly. There are huge differences (inequalities) between rich and poor. Poorest people live in favelas in homes they have made from scrap materials. Some don’t have clean water, toilets or electricity. Access to jobs, schools and medical care is difficult.
Electricity: Simplico Hydroelectric station supplies 30% more energy to the city. More of the poorer areas are now connected to a safe and reliable supply, reducing illegal connections and fires.

3. Challenges in Rio de Janeiro Self Help Scheme
Crime high levels of gang and drug crime in Rio may discourage tourists from visiting areas like Copacabana beach because of the fear of crime. This will reduce the income of hotel, shops and businesses. Residents are also at risk in many areas of Rio but especially in the favelas.
Services demand for clean water, school places and medical care is increasingly putting a strain on the government’s finances. As more people move to the cities and demand clean water and other services then the city council and government has to spend money to provide it and to try and look after people living in poverty.
Favela Improvement
The authorities have set up self-help schemes like the favela bairro project in Rocinha. This is when the local authority provides residents with small loans to improve the basic breeze block homes. They have a clean water supply and electricity. The community work together to build and improve the homes.
Cable Car
Links the Complexo do Alemao favela which is built on a steep hillside to central Rio. Residents find it difficult and dangerous to use the roads in the favela. The cable car improves access to jobs and education meaning that they can work to improve their own lives. Residents given free return tickets each day.
Homes many people arrive from the rural areas with just the belongings they can carry. The build shacks on the edge of the city on land they do not own. The living conditions are very poor as many do not have access to clean water, electricity or sewage systems. Whole families can live in just one room.

4. Inequalities in Bristol
Bristol, UK
National importance:
Two universities – attracts students from around the UK
Two cathedrals – Bristol and Clifton
Located on the M4 corridor with good road and rail links to London
International importance:
The largest concentration of silicon chip manufacture outside California
Around 700,000 cars from Japan, Germany and Korea are imported to Bristol’s docks each year
Bristol airports links the city to major European centres
The UK’s eighth most popular city for foreign visitors
Inequalities in Bristol
Urban deprivation – Filwood (south of Bristol) is in the top 10 % of the most socially deprived areas in the country. In 2010 a survey by Bristol City Council revealed that more than a third of people living in Filwood and over half the children were in very low-income households.
Housing in Filwood is split equally between owner occupied and those rented from the city council. Compared to Stoke Bishop in the north of Bristol where 81% of the housing is owner occupied. Most of the council houses in Filwood were built in the 1930s and are poorly insulated.
Migration - from abroad has accounted for about half of Bristol’s population growth e.g. from EU countries such as Poland.
Health and Employment - In Filwood death rates from cancer are higher than average and life expectancy is 78 years compared to 83 years in Stoke Bishop Only 3% of people in Stoke Bishop are unemployed compared to 1/3 of people aged in Filwood.
Positive impacts
Negative impacts
Mainly young migrants help to balance the ageing population
Hardworking, educated and motivated workforce
Contributing to the local economy
Increased demand for housing and jobs
English is an additional language and can cause issues in schools
Challenge to integrate within the community

5. Urban Change creates Social Opportunities in Bristol
Urban Change creates Economic Opportunities in Bristol
Shopping – The city centre had become outdated and people had begun shopping in the out of town retail park at Cribbs Causeway. Developments to encourage people to shop in the CBD include; pedetrianising the area, providing a more attractive shopping environment (new street furniture floral displays and landscaping and improving public transport into the centre e.g. park and ride
Nightlife - A youthful population means there is a range of bars and nightclubs – The Arena has concerts and entertainment by major names in rock, pop and jazz
The major change in Bristol’s industry has been the increased number of people working in high-tech companies. There are 50 microelectronic and silicon design businesses in Bristol. Many jobs and training opportunities have been created for people which boost the whole economy.
The following factors attract high-tech businesses to Bristol:
a government grant of £100 million to become a super connected city with high broadband speeds
advanced research at the universities
an educated and skilled workforce.
Aardman Animations is based in Bristol. The studio has been well known for its films using stopmotion clay animation techniques e.g. Wallace and Gromit – its films have won an Oscar and many other awards
Sport - Bristol has two professional football teams – City and Rovers and a rugby union team - all teams are developing their stadiums to provide a range of leisure and conference facilities and accommodation

6. Urban Change creates Environmental Opportunities
Urban Regeneration in Bristol
The Temple Quarter was very rundown. It gave a bad first impression to visitors, as it was the first part of the city seen by anyone arriving train. The Temple Quarter was developed as an industrial area in 18th Century. The land was mainly disused and in a state of dereliction.
2015 Bristol awarded European Green Capital with a plan to achieve the following by 2020:
transport improvement
improved energy efficiency
development of renewable energy
Urban greening – 1/3 of Bristol’s is open space and more than 90% of people love within 350km of parkland and waterways. Bristol has 8 nature reserves and 300 parks. Queen Square was once a dual carriage way but is now transformed into a cycle way with open space. Green initiatives include: 30% of city to be covered in trees.
Improvements to Temple Meads station to encourage more people to travel by train and improve the image of the area.
Improved road layout with links to the rapid transport network and the Bristol / Bath cycle network
Enterprise zone status – 240,000m2 of either new or refurbished buildings, creating offices, homes and shops. The target is to create 4000 jobs by 2020 and by 2037
Historic buildings e.g. Brunel’s engine shed has been redeveloped to house hi-tech companies.
Harbour area redeveloped to create shops and bars in derelict buildings. Attracts lots of tourists and creates jobs.
Transport - develop an integrated transport system linking different forms of public transport. This will reduce congestion which costs businesses money whilst goods are stuck in traffic and reduce air pollution which impacts on health. The Rapid Transit Network consists of three bus routes from Temple Meads train station with the city’s park and ride sites.

7. Characteristics of Sustainable Living: Freiburg
Sustainable Urban Planning: Freiburg
Water is recycled by collecting rainwater from roof gardens. As rain soaks through the plants the pollutants are filtered out. Pavements are also pervious which allows water to soak in and be collected. This water can then be used to flush toilets or water gardens, rather than tap water.
Freiburg is a sustainable city located in southwest Germany. ‘Sustainability’ in urban planning means that the environment is protected whilst also looking after people’s needs (social) and providing employment (economic) within the area.
Energy – Freiburg plans to be 100% powered by renewables by It is one of the sunniest cities in Germany so there are already 400 solar panel installations. The largest amount of green energy comes from biomass (waste wood and rape seed oil)
Social
People are involved in urban planning. They take part in surveys to give feedback on plans to develop the city. If people take part in recycling or use textile nappies instead of disposable ones then they are given money back, or receive tickets to events such as football matches.
Economic
Many people from around the world come to Freiburg to learn about sustainable living. This creates jobs. There are also over 1000 jobs in researching and making solar panels as the city is a world leader in their development.
Environmental
Brownfield sites are used for development to protect the green spaces.
88% of packaging is recycled and burning waste provides energy for 28,000 homes.
Traffic- The city has an integrated traffic plan. An important feature is the tram which is cheap and accessible from all residential areas. Car parking can cost as much as £20,000 a year, so the tram is much cheaper. Trams stop every 8 minutes on average and most people live within 500m of a stop.
Sustainable Traffic Management Singapore – car licenses are limited to reduce the number of cars, plus many roads have charging schemes so that you have to pay to drive on them. This strategy has reduced car use massively because it is so expensive. Unlike Freiburg money isn’t invested in alternatives to the car, the driver’s are simply priced off the roads. Congestion and pollution are reduced.