Environment and Urbanization
In the last few years, urbanization in Egypt has increased significantly. This phenomenon is natural as Egypt is a developing country. People are migrating from rural areas all over Egypt to settle in major cities like Cairo and Alexandria. They tend to migrate because they see them as a place of hope, where everything is possible. This is very beneficial to Egypt. The fact that more people are migrating to cities, means that more labor and workforce are available for many businesses and industries. This entire process is expected to enhance Egypt’s economy dramatically.
However, Urbanization has many negative effects on the environment. In Egypt, those cities are built near the banks of the Nile. These lands are known for their soil which is rich with minerals and nutrients. Everyday more and more of this land is taken to build skyscrapers, parking lots and even streets. Egypt spends significant amounts of money to restore barren land, which consumes lots of time as this process may take decades. It would be better for investors and for the environment if they went further away from the Nile, where there is no precious agricultural land. The picture below shows how cities are expanding into urban sprawls occupying more agricultural land
Moreover, factories nearby the Nile tend to dispose of their wastes by throwing them into the Nile directly. Also, most of the household wastes and sewage water are also disposed into the Nile. Is this a smart thing to do? Especially that the Nile accounts for 96% of the drinking water supply. Another drawback is that the garbage collected from those cities is put into landfills. Landfills are very harmful to the environment as they introduce some chemical reagents that may be poisonous to the soil. Those chemical reagents may reach underground water and affect human health directly. Moreover, factories and cars that use fossil fuels emit greenhouse gases that cause global warming and pollute the air as shown in the picture below. In this picture it is shown clearly how those emissions cause smog limiting the vision.
Finally, I personally think that urbanization could be a very efficient tool if used correctly by world leaders. Urbanization may have some negative effects on the environment, but with the progress of technology we can reduce those effects and improve the world around us. However the question is what can we do to reduce those negative effects now?
Ahmed El-Ghandour AUC Egypt
Comments
I thought that it was particularly interesting to read your blog with the other entry that discussed moving people from agricultural areas to desert areas. I agree with you that urbanization can be effective, but that it is important weigh the environmental consequences. For example, diverting water has often had adverse effects on the environments. We are living in a very delicate balance right now, with the potential to tip the scales in the favor of sustainable development, but in danger of causing more harm than we can ever repair. This question is one that many nations around the world are dealing with, but I think that you see it particularly clearly since you live in such proximity to the Nile. Thank you for your perspective on this issue!
Posted by: Emma Sedivy | April 26, 2009 11:27 AM
I think it is interesting that urbanization is both expressed as "beneficial" and "negative" in this blog. You seem to have a more optimistic view, however. Urbanization, with the advantages of efficiency and technological progress, can actually solve the problems that it creates, becoming not only the problem but the solution as you suggest. I also wonder though if with increased urbanization in order to develop the technology to reduce the negative effects now, we may create even more negative effects! Are we just taking two steps backward for every step forward?
Posted by: Cassandra Carroll | April 26, 2009 08:10 PM
Urbanization has also been a big issue in America as well. I am from Las Vegas, Nevada and it has gone from a modest town in the desert to a large sprawling metropolis. Currently due to all its growth from under 1 million to around 2.5 million in under 10 years, it is having severe water and power problems. The local lake that feds the city's thirst is getting lower and lower. This is not the only case of situations of drought and overuse. It is happening across the Southwest US and to an extent across the US in general. In Las Vegas people have removed the natural desert flora and replaced it with grass lawns and palm trees. They are not natural to that environment and are invasive. Urbanization maybe good but we have to be careful what we do. If we are not mindful we may destroy not only the natural environment, but ourselves
Posted by: Ben Jensen | April 27, 2009 11:49 AM
urbanization is a big issue in india right now. due to excess migration, we have overpopulated cities like mumbai. this has led to problems of air pollution, traffic conjestions, water problems, etc. urbanization is a good thing in many ways but we have to plan it well so as to sustain it in the long run, not just economically but also ecologically.
Posted by: nayantara | July 27, 2009 09:45 AM
urbanization is the source of alot of the problems we are having especialy in Africa.hopefully as technology grows we shall overcome this.
the article about Egypt is nine Ahmed.a very clear amd understanding work.
Posted by: Tunu.Y.Makamula | October 5, 2009 08:13 AM