Urbanisation
What does urbanisation mean?
The increasing proportion of people living in cities.
What is rural-to-urban migration?
Movement of people from countryside to cities.
What is a system?
A set of interacting components.
What are ecosystem services?
Benefits humans get from ecosystems.
What is urban planning?
Designing and managing how cities develop.
As countries get richer, do they become more or less urbanised?
More urbanised.
What are push factors?
Negative conditions that cause people to leave an area.
Name one component of an urban system.
Transport / water supply / buildings / humans / plants / energy.
Name one ecosystem service in cities.
Clean air / shade / water regulation / recreation.
Name one goal of sustainable urban planning.
Reduce pollution / improve transport / protect green space.
What global trend is shown in the map “Share of population living in urban areas”?
More people around the world are living in cities.
Give one example of a push factor.
Unemployment / low wages / climate change / conflict.
How can buildings affect microclimates?
They trap heat, block wind, and affect sunlight.
How do trees help cities?
Cooling, cleaner air, habitat for animals.
What is suburbanisation?
People moving from city centres to suburbs.
Name one environmental challenge caused by rapid urbanisation.
Pollution / congestion / urban heat island / waste / housing shortages.
Give one example of a pull factor.
Jobs / higher wages / education / healthcare.
Why is transport important in urban systems?
It moves people, goods, and services around the city.
Give one provisioning service.
Food / water.
Why do planners add parks and green roofs?
To reduce heat and improve ecosystem services.
What is the Urban Heat Island effect?
Cities becoming hotter than surrounding rural areas because of buildings, roads, and human activity.
Why do cities often grow quickly in developing countries?
People move there seeking jobs and better opportunities.
Why can cities be compared to natural ecosystems?
Because they have flows of energy, materials, and interactions between components.
Why are green spaces important in cities?
They support biodiversity and improve human wellbeing.
What is one way cities can become more sustainable?
Public transport / renewable energy / green infrastructure.