Transcript Impact of industrialisation and urbanisation on environment

IMPACT OF INDUSTRIALISATION
AND URBANISATION ON
ENVIRONMENT
Essay questions
AL-2005
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With reference to the Hong Kong SAR, describe
the impact of smog on the local economy.
Discuss how rapid urbanization and
industrialization of the Zhujiang (Pearl River)
Delta region have contributed to the recent
formation of smog in Hong Kong. Evaluate
measures taken by the relevant authorities to
alleviate the problem of cross-border air
pollution.
IMPACT OF SMOG ON LOCAL ECONOMY
Reducing visibility in turn affecting navigation
and air transport
 Adding a psychological blackspot for the city in
the minds of investors and tourists
 Making plants more susceptible to disease, pests
and environmental stresses
 Affecting health, especially children, the elderly
and those with respiratory and cardiac conditions
 Increasing in medical expenses, loss of working
time due to illnesses, absenteeism
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FORMATION OF SMOG
Rapid industrialization and urbanization in ZRD
 Great demand for power due to
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Higher income level and living standard
 Higher no. of vehicles
 Prosper industrial activities
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Increase electricity production from coal-burning
plants
 Frequent cross-border traffic
 Frequent smog results from high concentration of
SO (London-type) and Nox and vapour (LA-type)
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OTHER FACTORS LEADING TO SMOG
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Climatic factors
Temperature inversion
 Strong sunlight
 Light northerly winds
 Urban heat island effect
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Local factors
Prevailing winds carry pollutants from power plants
in HK to urban areas
 VOC emissions
 Topography of NW New Territories
 Heavy road traffic in urban areas
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MEASURES
Introduction of sulphur-free and less polluting
biofuel for cross-border vehicles
 Restirct the entry of dirty-fuel vehicles across the
border
 Reduce motor vehicle emissions through speeding
up the tightening of motor fuel and vehicle
emission standards in PRDR
 Regional cooperation is essential
 Tradable emission credits scheme
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AL-2005
In some large cities, support for the strategies of
converting municipal solid waste into industrial
raw materials has come from entrepreneurs,
environmental groups, individuals and the
governments.
 Why is it desirable to promote the strategies of
converting municipal solid waste into industrial
raw materials? Citing examples, discuss how
these strategies may affect the location of
industries using these materials. What
difficulties may be encountered by
industrialists should these strategies be
implemented?
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REASONS FOR THE NEED TO CONVERT
SOLID WASTE TO RM
Depletion of raw materials in the future
 Competition for raw materials may result in
higher cost of production
 Lots of municipal solid waste contain valuable
recycling materials
 Enables business and community sustainability
 Creates more jobs in the long run
 Helps to solve environmental problems caused by
waste disposal
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IMPACT ON INDUSTRIAL LOCATION
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Move to large urban areas with largest amount of
MSW due to
Higher living standard
 Better community education work
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Move to designated areas due to
Government incentives to integrate contracts for
waste and recycling services
 More capital for the setting up of recycling industries
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Move to break-of-bulk points where local and
overseas solid waste can be available
DIFFICULTIES ENCOUNTERED
Increase cost of production
 Complicated procedures in collecting solid wates,
sorting and refining
 Recycled RM are usually more expensive
 High cost of changing industrial techniques
 Supply of RM may not be stable and reliable
 Quality of RM may not be guaranteed
 Hazardous waste may be incorporated and thus
lowering of the quality of finished products
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AL-2001
Greening of a city is the process of building a
clean city from the viewpoint of energy efficiency,
resource conservation, and environmental
protection.
 What are the possible benefits of greening a
city? Discuss and explain the conditions
favouring the greening process. Evaluate the
possibilities and difficulties in achieving the
purpose of greening in Hong Kong.
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POSSIBLE BENEFITS ON ENERGY
EFFICIENCY
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using high level of insulation, high performance windows,
and tight construction
in cold regions, double window glazing can help to save
energy
design buildings to use renewable energy like solar heating
and natural cooling. Solar water heating can save a lot of
energy
it can reduce the use of energy consumption. Everyone
inside the green city will try to minimize the energy
consumption like switch off unused lights, air-conditioners
etc.
people will travel by mass transport systems e.g. buses,
trains. In this way, a lot of energy will be saved. There will
be no more problem of energy crisis.
high-efficiency heating and cooling equipment can be
installed
high-efficiency lights and appliances can also be installed
POSSIBLE BENEFITS ON RESOURCE
CONSERVATION
water-conserving toilets and showerheads reduce
water use
 avoid excessive packaging, such as plasticwrapped plumbing fixtures in building the city
 buildings should be located to provide access to
public transportation, bicycle paths, walking
access to basic services
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POSSIBLE BENEFITS ON ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION
planting hedge rows and shrubs can block cold
winter winds or help channel cool summer
breezes into buildings
 use durable products and materials in building
because they contribute less to solid waste
problems
 the greening of a city involves the growing of
different types of vegetation.
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FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR GREENING
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Land conditions
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Social conditions
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Citizens should be educated and have knowledge on environmental
protection. They should be willing to take actions.
Political conditions
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There should be a new land on which large scale town planning can start on
or an already existing land on which town planning can be started bit by bit.
The government should be stable enough to undertake any reform
concerning the environment. If there is political instability, the government
will be busy to tackle problems like negotiation with other countries. There
will be no time and effort to do anything for the goodness of the environment.
Economic conditions
The city should be rich enough to promote the greening idea because many
facilities involve cost like installation of energy-efficient heating & cooling
equipment.
 planting of trees and flowers also involve money
 promoting the idea of greening through mass media requires considerable
expenditure
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Other conditions
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The greening process also requires the support of infrastructure like public
transportation.
POSSIBILITIES AND DIFFICULTIES OF
GREENING IN HONG KONG
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Possibilities
vacant land available e.g.
in Northern District, Kai
Tak
the process has
advantages e.g. building
houses for the public.
acceptable costs
Hong Kong is rather
politically stable
There is laissez faire in
HK so private developers
have more freedom.
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Difficulties
social unrest if land needs
to be given back to
government
HK is a small place, so not
enough land for
redevelopment e.g.
Wanchai, Yau Ma Tei
Poor environmental
concern for the public
HK still has a lot of
unemployment, so
government should tackle
this problem first, not only
environmental problems.
CCSC MOCK 2009
Air and water are two important elements of
sustenance. As a result of affluence, growth and
technology, a city generates more waste or
residuals than the government can handle.
Pollution of air and water poses a recognized
problem.
 With reference to Zhujiang Delta Region, discuss
how urbanization and industrialization will
cause pollution of air and water and their
impact on the environment. Explain why the
HKSAR government would seek the
cooperation of neighbouring regions in
solving these problems.
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EVIDENCE OF AIR AND WATER POLLUTION
IN PRD
rapid urbanization and industrialization leads to
the formation of large cities in the PRD, e.g.
Guangzhou, Dongguan, Shenzhen, Zhuhai
 over-concentration of population and economic
activities creates lots of environmental
 problems which are evident by no. of smoky days
with low visibility, high quantity of suspended
particulates, formation of smog, high amount of
bacteria in Shenzhen River and Zhu Jiang River
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AIR POLLUTION IN PRD
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more air pollutants, e.g. carbon dioxides, sulfur oxides, nitrogen
oxides, hydrocarbons, photochemical oxidants, respirable suspended
particulates, metal, other organic and inorganic compounds (VOC)
more fuel / energy consumption from automobiles, industrial
activities, business activities
high population density, more high-rise buildings and narrow roads
prevent the dispersal of air pollutants in the city
Urbanization causes great demand for land. City expands in the
form of various urban development processes like suburbanization
(setting up of new towns), urban encroachment and rural-urban
migration. Land expansion is done by the cutting of trees,
reclamation & cutting of slopes
Large reduction in the no. of trees and green areas means lowering
the ability to absorb excessive carbon dioxide derived from
industrial and urban activities and to regulate city temperature,
causing air pollution and urban heat island effect
frequent cross-border traffic worsens the air quality as entry of
dirty-fuel vehicles into northwest HK across the border is possible
WATER POLLUTION IN PRD
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illegal dumping of wastes into the river is common
some water-demanding industries are also waterpolluting industries, e.g. bleaching and dyeing
factories, textile and clothing industries
water is used as cooling agent in manufacturing
process but it causes thermal pollution
industrial development increases demand for sewage
treatment facilities in the PRD, causing financial
difficulties of local government
therefore, sewage is untreated and directly dumped
into the river
occasional drought in the PRD also accelerates salt
tide, causing retreat of seawater in the rivers
WHY IS REGIONAL COOPERATION
NECESSARY?
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air and water pollution is not a local issue but a regional issue
cross-border cooperation is necessary and more effective to solve the
air and water pollution problems as both governments should be
responsible for the problems
environmental policies should be consistent to avoid double standard,
e.g. the tightening of motor fuel and vehicle emission stardards in the
PRD
some factories in the PRD are actually Hong Kong enterprises
implementation of policies requires the cooperation between Hong
Kong and China, e.g. restrict the entry of dirty-fuel vehicles across
the border
cross-border cooperation can facilitate technical exchanges and
workshops on topics of air quality monitoring and pollution control
between Hong Kong and China government officials
both areas can carry out tradable emissions credits scheme
water quality in Shenzhen River can be improved by both
governments as it is located at the boundary between Hong Kong and
China
water quality in China is important to Hong Kong due to import of
drinking water from Dong Jiang to Hong Kong