Environmental Problems in an Urbanizing World

by Hardoy, Jorge E.; Mitlin, Diana; Satterthwaite, David

• ISBN13: 9781853837197
• ISBN10: 1853837199
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-08-01
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

* Updated and much expanded edition of the authors' 1992 classic Environmental Problems in Third World Cities * Comprehensive account of the health- and life- threatening environmental conditions in which a growing proportion of the world's people live * Ideal as a textbook and for professionals and interested general readers * 1st edition widely adopted on urban geography, development studies, environmental courses Most of the world's urban population and most of the large and rapidly growing cities are in developing countries. Often poorly governed, their conditions produce millions of preventable deaths and extensive disease. This book describes these cities' environmental problems and how they affect health, local ecosystems and global cycles. It analyzes the causes: the failure of governments to supply clean water and implement existing measures, or land-owning structures that marginalize the poor. It also highlights the innovative ways in which problems are being tackled, showing solutions are available and the action needed by cities, local governments and community organizations.

Table of Contents

Tables, figures and boxes	vi
Acronyms and abbreviations	x
Preface	xi
David Satterthwaite
About the author	xiv
A New Environmental Agenda for Cities?	1	(36)
Introduction	1	(1)
Environmental goals for cities	2	(2)
Urban change and environmental problems	4	(4)
A new environmental agenda	8	(6)
The structure of the book	14	(3)
Diversities and commonalities	17	(3)
The environmental opportunities provided by cities	20	(4)
An urbanizing world	24	(13)
Environmental Problems in the Home, Workplace and Neighbourhood	37	(50)
Introduction	37	(1)
The indoor environment at home	38	(35)
The workplace	73	(2)
The neighbourhood environment	75	(9)
The importance of the home environment for well-being and child development	84	(3)
The City Environment	87	(62)
The range of problems	87	(2)
Air pollution	89	(18)
Water pollution and scarcity	107	(4)
Road accidents	111	(1)
Toxic/hazardous wastes	112	(4)
Export of toxic wastes or polluting industries	116	(3)
Natural and human-induced hazards	119	(6)
Noise pollution	125	(1)
The environment and well-being	126	(6)
Environmental problems in smaller cities	132	(10)
Environmental transitions, transformations and transfers	142	(7)
Who Bears the Environmental Costs in Cities?	149	(23)
The correlations between incomes and hazards	149	(2)
Differentials in environmental risk	151	(1)
Vulnerability and susceptibility	152	(6)
Groups within the population that face higher risks	158	(11)
Conclusions	169	(3)
The Rural, Regional and Global Impacts of Cities	172	(37)
Cities' regional impacts and rural-urban interactions	172	(24)
Cities and the global commons	196	(13)
Tackling Environmental Health Problems	209	(61)
Introduction	209	(2)
Water, sanitation and drainage	211	(8)
Upgrading	219	(6)
Refuse collection and cities' waste economies	225	(10)
The role of privatization	235	(7)
Key roles for NGOs and CBOs	242	(8)
Different models of NGO support	250	(17)
An institutional framework to support local action on environmental health	267	(3)
Tackling City-wide Problems	270	(66)
Tackling city-wide pollution	270	(10)
Urban agriculture	280	(7)
City-wide planning and management	287	(15)
City-wide environmental indicators	302	(6)
The institutional constraints on effective action	308	(5)
The role of international agencies	313	(23)
Sustainable Development and Cities	336	(44)
Introduction	336	(3)
Why is sustainable development important for cities?	339	(1)
How a concern for sustainable development arose	340	(5)
Emphasizing sustainability; forgetting development	345	(3)
The ambiguities in what is to be sustained	348	(2)
Emphasizing human activities; forgetting ecological sustainability	350	(2)
A framework for considering sustainable development and cities	352	(13)
Building synergies, avoiding conflicts?	365	(3)
The national framework for city action on sustainable development	368	(3)
Enabling local action	371	(1)
Implementing sustainable development in cities	372	(2)
The global context for sustainability and development	374	(6)
Conclusions	380	(27)
Introduction	380	(2)
Environmental problems; political solutions	382	(2)
Institutional change and the role of aid agencies	384	(2)
From urban management to improved governance	386	(3)
A new framework of support for citizens' groups and NGOs	389	(4)
Linking environment improvement with poverty reduction	393	(5)
A city-specific environmental agenda	398	(2)
New professional attitudes	400	(2)
City problems within a global perspective	402	(5)
References	407	(26)
Further Reading	433	(7)
Subject Index	440	(6)
Cities Index	446