Water and Urbanization

According to the Population Reference Bureau, within the last 200 years, the world's urban population has shifted from 2% to 50%. The growth of these urban areas come from an increase in migration and the fertility of these urban populations. It is also due to the increase in desires of what these urban areas have to offer versus rural areas. With the availability of more jobs and resources, more and more populations are moving away from these rural areas and overcrowding these cities which are increasing the scarcity of the resources already there. These urban populations change their environment through their consumption of food, energy, water, and land. Because of this, the urban population begins to pollute the environment they live in and reduces the health and quality of life. Urban areas consume more food and durable products than any other area. Also, urban areas increasingly use aggregate energy use, despite the rise in new technology. Because of the urban consumption of energy, it can create heat islands that can change local weather patterns. This creates an area where cities are more warmer than rural areas due to the radiation of heat back into the atmosphere in heavily populated areas. Some urban environmental health problems include inadequate water and sanitation, lack of rubbish disposal, and industrial pollution. Some health problems of urbanization include respiratory infections and parasitic diseases. In some major cities, researches have found that the rate of infant mortality are higher in cities that are growing more rapidly than of those who are not. Much of what urbanization is dependent on how the populations behave with their consumption and living patterns. Since the 1950's, many cities in developed countries have met environmental urban challenges. Having a strong urban governance is essential in making an adequate progress of reverse some effects of urbanization.(http://www.prb.org/Publications/Articles/2004/UrbanizationAnEnvironmentalForcetoBeReckonedWith.aspx).

http://www.jameskoss.com/2013_09_01_archive.html

The image above is displaying the before and after of urbanization in New York. For more information, please visit the following web address. 

https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/processes/statewide/related/highway_functional_classifications/section06.cfm

This image described the urbanization areas located in the state of Ohio.

http://defenceforumindia.com/urbanization-the-only-solution-for-a-modern-india-1536

This map shows the percent of urbanized areas throughout the world.

According to The Nature Conservancy and Harvard University released a new study indicating the effect of staggering urban growth on nature and people finds that if we don't improve urban planning now, we may lose some animals, plants, and natural resources for good. In 2007, the United Nations revealed that by 2020, the worlds populations that live in cities will rise from 50% to 60%. According to the report, humans are building the equivalent of a city the size of Vancouver every single week. Most of these developments are occurring in cities such as China, India, and Africa. Natural areas that are most affected by urbanization are more likely to have the highest concentrations of endemic species. 8% of species of vertebrae have been labeled endangered due to the effects of urban development. Economic concerns have emerged through urban growth. The accidental or intentional start of fires increase, which in return cost additional amount of dollars that can threaten homes, businesses, and buildings. It is the population and the governments responsibility to protect the biodiversity and the land in which we live on (http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080610182856.htm).