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Pollution Due to Urbanisation Essay

Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation

Below, you will find an essay on pollution due to urbanisation (long) and also a short essay on pollution due to urbanisation. While urbanisation has its positives, it is imperative to look at every object according to its pros and cons. Here are two essays on pollution due to urbanisation of 400-500 words and 100-200 words, respectively. We will discuss the importance of urbanisation for countries, and how urbanisation is polluting the world.

Long Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation

Urbanisation is a great concept which is required to develop any country. It refers to the concept of urbanising remote areas by building infrastructure which then brings about development. Infrastructure refers to all the buildings and institutions which are necessary for economic development to take place in an area. For example, educational institutions like schools, colleges, vocational learning centres are part of the infrastructure. Healthcare facilities such as hospitals and clinics, employment opportunities, food security, etc. are also part of the infrastructure of a country.

It is seen very often that a big corporation sets up shop in a rural area, and around this, infrastructure is built, and development and urbanisation take place. Jamshedpur is an example of such a place, where Tata Industries set up shop many years ago and made the area highly developed. Thus, urbanisation definitely encourages the people of a place to have a better life by giving them more opportunities to achieve good life through education, jobs, etc.

On the other hand, it must be duly noted that urbanisation is one of the leading causes of pollution in today’s world. There are several different kinds of pollution, such as air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution and noise pollution. The facets of urbanisation contribute to each one of these types of pollution in one way or another. Factories and mines contribute to air pollution through the fumes that each of them emits into the air. The damage done to the water and soil around factories because of their flowing septic is harmful to both humans as well as aquatic life. Additionally, the noises that come from mines, the whirring of machinery in factories, etc. contribute to noise pollution.

Additionally, it is not only big industries that contribute to pollution due to urbanisation. Part of urbanisation is also the development of roads, which means more cars, buses, two-wheelers, three-wheelers, trucks, etc. on the road. These all contribute to noise pollution because of the incessant honking, and also to air pollution, because of the fumes that all motor vehicles emit. Even when we are stuck in traffic in an auto, it becomes difficult to breathe because of the fumes which surround us on the roads. If we are finding it difficult to breathe, imagine what so many fumes are doing to our planet.

Short Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation

150 Words Paragraph On Pollution Due to Urbanisation

Pollution takes place when air, water or soil becomes contaminated with unwanted substances. Air pollution takes place because of the fumes of factories and motor vehicles on th e road. Soil pollution and water pollution take place due to the septic waste being released into soil or water that surrounds a factory. Even oil spills are a major reason for water pollution, and all kinds of pollution can be very dangerous for living beings. Another type of pollution is noise pollution, which comes from the honking of cars, loud sounds in factories, the passing of aeroplanes and trains, etc.

Urbanisation is a result of the need to achieve economic development. It refers to when a relatively rural or remote area is made more urban by constructing roads, hospitals, schools, offices, etc. In this way, development is a result of urbanisation, which is extremely good for all countries.

However, all the great factors that urbanisation brings in, such as factories to work in, motor vehicles to drive, and so much more, all of these contribute to pollution more and more. Even though urbanisation is very important for a country, it is important to address all the kinds of pollution

Pollution is one of the most pressing concerns confronting our civilization today. When their environment deteriorates on a daily basis, humans face major challenges. The mixing of any toxic element or contaminants in our natural environment is referred to as pollution. Many contaminants are introduced into the natural environment as a result of human activities, contaminating it too dangerous proportions. Pollution is caused by a variety of factors, one of which is urbanisation.

The negative aspect of urbanisation is the manufacturers, which emit a great deal of pollution. Their equipment emits smoke into the environment, pollutes water streams and the surrounding land, and makes a lot of noise. As a result, there is a lot of pollution as a result of urbanisation, and it is extremely destructive to the environment when it first begins.

The majority of the pollution in our environment is due to urbanisation. It's because factories are springing up all over the place, there are a lot more cars on the road now, and so on.

Pollution Due to Urbanisation

Our mother planet is choking, and we are unable to do anything about it. Today, we confront several issues, one of which is pollution. Pollution occurs when a contaminating substance is introduced into our environment and pollutes our natural resources. There are numerous causes of pollution, most of which are caused by humans. Natural resources and habitats have been depleted as a result of our activities.

Urbanisation is one of the primary causes of human pollution. Pollution levels began to rise when humans began to construct cities and industrialization developed. Human needs continue to expand, and we loot our mother planet to meet them. As a result of development, many beautiful valleys, mountains, hilltop stations, and woods have become pollution carriers. Trees have been felled, rivers and lakes have been poisoned, and natural reserves have been exploited.

As a result, we now live in severely polluted cities where daily life has become increasingly challenging. As a result of urban pollution, we are experiencing a variety of health issues, the worst part of which is that we are fully unconscious of it. It is past time for us to take steps to reduce pollution and make the world a better place for future generations.

Urbanisation is a really great step forward for any country, and it is and should be the main aim of all countries. All people around the world should have access to proper healthcare, education, sanitation, nourishment and safety, and urbanisation is how we can help achieve this goal. However, in the process of meeting this goal, we cannot forget that pollution due to urbanisation does take place, and is very dangerous for the planet and, therefore, all species living on earth in the long run.

FAQs on Pollution Due to Urbanisation Essay

1. What are the pros and cons of urbanisation according to the essay on pollution due to urbanisation?

The essay on pollution due to urbanisation says that urbanisation is good and is vital for a country, but can also be harmful for the environment. Urbanisation brings in better education, better healthcare facilities, better roads, and better infrastructure in general. However, it improves the lifestyles of human beings at the cost of hurting the environment by putting more contaminants into air, water and soil in the form of toxic fumes and septic waste. Thus, urbanisation is important, but it has to be brought about in a more sustainable manner.

2. How can we reduce pollution due to urbanisation?

At the individual level, there are some very simple ways to reduce pollution due to urbanisation. To reduce air pollution, we can choose to walk, carpool, or use public transport instead of taking a taxi. Garbage should not be thrown on roads and in water bodies, in order for us to stop soil and water pollution. We should also not honk on roads unnecessarily, to curb noise pollution. Unless the big companies and industries do not decide to take a stand and do what’s good for the environment, we will have to keep relying only on individual measures.

3. What are the different types of pollution and their causes?

Pollution in Cities: Types and Causes

Air Pollution: The air in metropolitan places is constantly polluted with harmful compounds, making breathing increasingly dangerous. The air in cities is suffocating. The air is polluted by smoke from autos, factories, and power plants. There are also other contaminants in the air, such as chemical spills and other harmful substances.

Water Pollution: Natural water supplies are becoming increasingly scarce in metropolitan areas, and those that do exist are becoming progressively contaminated. There is a lot of waste dumping in lakes and rivers, such as residential and industrial waste. A lot of trash is washed into the rivers when it rains.

Soil Pollution: Toxic mixtures in the soil are causing ecosystem disruption.

Noise Pollution: Cities are among the noisiest places on the planet. Noise pollution is caused by a variety of sources, including traffic noises, loudspeakers, and other undesirable noises, which cause a variety of health problems.

Radioactive Pollution: Nuclear power facilities' unintentional leaks represent a serious concern.

Visual Pollution: Signs, billboards, screens, high-intensity lights, and other forms of overexposure to sights in cities can also be highly unsettling.

There is also ' Thermal pollution ,' which is created by an excess of heat trapped in the earth's atmosphere.

4. How can pollution due to urbanisation be controlled?

One can implement the following methods to reduce pollution caused by urbanisation:

Conserve Energy: People in urban areas always use more energy than people in rural areas. The use of energy results in numerous types of pollution. One of the most effective strategies to reduce pollution is to conserve energy wherever possible. When you are not using an electrical appliance, turn it off. This tiny step can make a tremendous difference.

Reduce water waste: We waste a lot of water on a daily basis, which might have negative implications. We must make every effort to utilize as little water as possible.

Plant more trees: Urban areas are the ones with the least amount of greenery. It's a good idea to have a kitchen garden and a little lawn near your house.

Green belts: The government can assist by declaring specific sections in each city as green belts, allowing trees and other plants to flourish freely.

Use fewer loudspeakers: Using fewer loudspeakers can significantly minimise noise pollution. It's also a good idea to turn down the music level at functions after a specific amount of time has passed.

Indoors: In cities, home interiors are likewise heavily contaminated. We must also have some plants inside our homes to filter the polluted indoor air.

Industrial trash: Factory owners must make every effort to avoid dumping industrial waste in lakes or rivers. The government can also enact legislation in this regard.

5. What problems are caused due to Urbanization?

The necessity for open space to develop roads, buildings, and bridges, among other things, resulted in widespread deforestation. To accommodate the ever-increasing population, trees were cut down, fields were cleared, and built new space. It goes without saying that tree cutting is a major source of pollution. The high population density resulted in a scarcity of everything, including space and natural resources such as water and coal.

A number of serious challenges have arisen as a result of the interaction of the urban population with the environment. The spending habits and lifestyles of the urban people had a significant impact on the environment. Consumption of food, energy, and water is all higher in cities. Cities have much more filthy air than rural areas. This is mainly due to the increased use of automobiles and the expansion of industries and factories that pollute the air. We utilise electricity to power almost all of our equipment.

6. What is urbanisation, and how is it caused?

The population shift from rural to urban regions, the resulting decline in the number of people living in rural areas, and the methods in which societies adjust to this transition are all referred to as urbanisation. It is basically the process by which towns and cities evolve and grow as more people choose to live and work in central locations.

Individual, community and state activity result in either organic or planned urbanisation. Living in a city can be culturally and economically advantageous since it can provide more options for access to the labour market, better education, housing, and safety conditions, as well as lower commute and transit time and costs. A healthy urban environment is characterised by density, proximity, diversity, and marketplace rivalry. However, there are also negative social consequences associated with urban living, such as alienation, stress, higher living costs, and mass marginalisation. Suburbanization, which is occurring in the greatest developing countries' cities, can be seen as an attempt to balance these negative aspects of city living while still giving access to a huge number of shared resources.

7. What is the Impact of Urbanisation in Indian Cities?

The following are the main effects of urbanisation on environmental quality in Indian cities:

According to the entire slum population in India in 1991, 41 per cent of the overall slum population lived in cities with populations of one million or more, which account for 27 percent of the country's total population.

According to the current situation of municipal solid trash creation and collection situation in Indian metropolitan cities, Maharashtra creates the most municipal solid garbage (11,000 tonnes per day), followed by Delhi (8700 tonnes per day) in 2019, both of which are expected to rise in the near future.

In India and other Metropolitan Cities, the number of automobiles on the road is increasing.

In India and other metropolitan cities, the number of automobiles on the road has increased. The usage of vehicles has increased by 10% or more on average, posing a significant threat to air pollution.

Water resources are dwindling day by day as a result of rising population, wasteful usage, and a lack of conservation. Huge amounts of wastewater enter rivers as cities and industries grow, contaminating river streams that are used for drinking and other reasons.

Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation

Introduction.

We often consider urbanisation to be a positive phenomenon. To a large extent, it is rightly so. We know how remote areas get developed, and huge infrastructure is set up as part of urbanisation. This leads to the creation of many educational and job opportunities so that people can lead better lives. Well, urbanisation sounds really interesting, right? But we must also be aware of how it contributes to pollution, and this essay on pollution due to urbanisation will be helpful to know more about it.

Children are familiar with air pollution , water pollution, and land pollution. It is time that we teach them how urbanisation leads to pollution and causes harm to the environment. Like building schools, hospitals and factories, and roads are also developed as part of urbanisation, increasing the chances of pollution by air, water or land. This short essay on pollution due to urbanisation will delve more into this topic.

Negative Effects of Urbanisation

Due to urbanisation, factories and industries are springing up in different places, and the number of vehicles on the road is increasing. The air and gases emitted from factories and vehicles contaminate the atmosphere, thus leading to pollution. In this essay on pollution due to urbanisation, we will see how urbanisation is a major threat to the environment .

The air in cities has become toxic due to the harmful gases and smoke given out by automobiles and factories. Besides, household and industrial wastes are dumped into the water bodies, thus making them unsafe for consumption and use.

We will also see other ways in which urbanisation is causing pollution in the environment through this short essay on pollution due to urbanisation. Trees are cut down to build houses and buildings, and there is a significant rise in noise pollution and land pollution because of urbanisation. Eventually, people will struggle to get clean food and water for survival and suffer from many health issues. Moreover, our environment will deteriorate as all our natural resources will get depleted, resulting in phenomena like global warming , deforestation and acid rain, among others.

Ways to Reduce Pollution Due to Urbanisation

We dream of making every village a city by constructing schools, buildings, offices and roads. Urbanisation is seen as a sign of development, and hence, we believe it to be good for us. But it is equally important to address the issues of pollution to truly enjoy the benefits of urbanisation. This essay on pollution due to urbanisation will now discuss some effective measures to curb pollution by various means.

By fixing leaky pipes, segregating dry/wet and paper/plastic waste, reusing plastic bottles, and using biogas for cooking, we can limit the pollution from households. Besides, we can ensure proper disposal of industrial waste without dumping it in water or land. Industries must also take care to use non-toxic chemicals or materials and set up efficient machines. Thus, this short essay on pollution due to urbanisation emphasises taking active steps to reduce pollution.

Urbanisation is an important developmental measure for any country, but we must ensure that it takes place without damaging the environment. Let us also make our children aware of this problem through this essay on pollution due to urbanisation. You can check out more amazing essays, stories , GK questions, and worksheets for kids on our website.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is urbanisation.

Urbanisation is the process of turning rural villages and areas into modern cities by constructing roads, buildings, schools and offices.

Does urbanisation cause pollution?

Since urbanisation involves setting up factories and building roads, pollution is bound to happen through the air, water, soil, land, and noise.

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Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization in English

Table of Contents

Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization: Pollution is one of the biggest issues that we as a society face today. The everyday deteriorating environment is a big challenge for humans. The mixing of any harmful substance or pollutants in our natural environment is called pollution. It is due to human activity, many contaminators get introduced into the natural environment thereby polluting it to harmful levels. There are many reasons why pollution occurs and one of the major one is urbanization.

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Long and Short Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization in English

In this section we have tried to cover all aspects of pollution due to urbanization in varying lengths to help you with the same in your exam. You can select any Pollution due to Urbanization essay as per your need:

Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization – Essay 1 (200 words)

Our mother earth is choking and we are helpless. We face many challenges today and one of them is pollution. When any contaminating substance is added in our environment and pollutes our natural resources called pollution. There are many reasons of pollution and human beings are responsible for most of it. Our activities have depleted our natural resources and our natural habitat.

One of the main reasons of human pollution is urbanization. When human being started establishing cities and industrialization happened than the level of pollution started increasing. The harsh reality of urbanization is that many beautiful valleys, mountains, hills stations and forests have been converted into vessels of pollution. The needs of human beings kept on increasing day by day and to satisfy those needs we exploited our mother earth. Trees were cut down, rivers and lakes were contaminated and natural reserves were misused.

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The result today is that we live in highly polluted cities where day to day life is becoming increasingly tuff. We face many health issues due to this urban pollution and the worst part is that we do not even realize that. It is high time that we must now adopt ways to curb this pollution and create a better world for our future generations.

Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization in India – Essay 2 (300 words)

Introduction

The days are gone when kids would roam freely on streets and birds would fly in the sky. Such a nice scene has been very rare to see, nowadays. We should blame ourselves only! India was a land of villages; our culture arose from villages only. But than we did something so bad that we are paying the price of it even today. We have replaced the major part of earth with factories, mills and building causing pollution .

There are Various Levels at which Urban Pollution is happening like:

Types and Causes of Urban Pollution

Air Pollution: The air in the urban areas is always polluted with harmful substances and it is becoming hazardous day by day to breathe. The air in the cities is choking. The smoke from automobiles, factories and power generators make the air unhealthy. There are other factors also like chemical spills and other toxic gases that contaminate the air.
Water Pollution: As it is there are very less natural water sources in the urban areas and the ones that are there are getting increasingly polluted. There is a lot of disposal in the lakes and rivers like household & industrial disposal. A lot of waste gets mixed with rain and washed into the waters .
Soil Pollution: The mixing of toxins in the soil is disturbing the eco-system.
Noise Pollution: Urban areas are one of the noisiest ones. Various sources of noise pollution include traffic noises, loud-speakers and other unwanted noises cause many health issues .
Radioactive Pollution: The accidental leakage by nuclear power plants poses a big threat.
Visual Pollution: The over exposure of visuals in the cities in the form of signs, billboards, screens, high intensity lights etc. are also quite disturbing .
Other than these there is also ‘Thermal pollution’ that is caused by excessive amount of heat trapped in earth’s atmosphere.

Conclusion:

The various means of pollution in urban areas can lead to many health issues in the people living in cities. We are everyday exposed to more than one of these health issues sources.

Essay about Problems Due To Urbanization – Essay 3 (400 words)

We achieved a big step when we urbanized our villages but it came with a price. We surely have a luxurious and a comfortable life in the modern day cities and towns but it has dent a big hole in the health of our environment. It has brought with it many problems that we face. The developing cities saw a rapid growth and this urbanization brought with it a web of difficulties and we seem to be stuck in them.

Problems Due to Urbanization

The need of free space to build roads, buildings and bridges etc made a massive deforestation happen. The trees were cut down, the fields were cleared and space was created to accommodate the ever rising population. It is a no-brainer that cutting of trees is a major reason of pollution. The high density of population created a lack of everything like space, natural resources like water, coal etc.

The interaction of urban population with environment caused some serious problems. The consumption patterns and the lifestyle of urban population changed the environment massively. The urban population consumes more food, energy and water. The air in urban areas is much more polluted than the rural ones. This is mainly because of the use of automobiles and building up of industries and factories that pollute the air at an increasing rate. Almost everything that we use works on electricity. The need for electricity in the cities is always rising and to meet that more power plants are build and that pollutes the air.

The lakes, rivers and any other water bodies in urban areas is always polluted by the dump of industrial waste and sewage. The marine life faces a lot of danger. We cannot ignore that noise pollution is one of the major causes of stress related issues in urban population. More and more trees are cut down to meet the needs of urban people and in exchange very less tress are planted. The use of plastic is another major reason of degradation of environment .

Studies show that urbanization is one of the major causes of depleting natural resources. We are constantly damaging our mother earth and the result is high pollution levels in the cities and towns. It is not possible to reverse the damage that we have already done but we can surely take some preventive measures and control the further damage. It is high time that we take some serious steps to save our planet and leave a better tomorrow .

Essay on Pollution Caused by Urbanization and Its Solutions – Essay 4 (500 words)

The advancement of technology and industrialization has caused the rapid growth in our lifestyle. Long back we started developing cities that are well equipped with all the facilities. The process of urbanization created a big dent in the health of our environment. The natural resources were depleted and this excessive use of technology and energy became a major source of pollution and today we live in a world that is highly polluted and unfit living .

Pollution Caused by Urbanization

There are various pollution that are caused by urbanization like air pollution, noise pollution, water pollution, thermal pollution, global warming, deforestation etc. It is high time that now we must adopt ways and means by which we can improve the health of the environment.

There is a Number of Solutions that we can apply and create a Better Tomorrow.

Solutions and Prevention of Urban Pollution

Conserve Energy: The urban area’s people always use more energy than the rural area’s people. The consumption of energy causes various kinds of pollution. Saving energy wherever possible is one of the best ways to curb pollution. Turn off the electrical appliances when they are not being used. This small step can help in a big way.
Use less water: We waste a lot of water daily and this can lead to bad consequences. We must try and use as less water as possible .
Plant more trees: The urban areas are the ones that have less greeneries. Try to plant many trees and vegetation as much as possible in your surrounding areas. Kitchen garden and small lawn near home is a good idea .
Green belts: Government can help and declare some areas in every city as green belts so that trees and other plants can be grown there without any obstruction .
Use less loudspeakers: The minimum use of loud speakers can reduce the noise pollution a lot. Decreasing the volume of music at functions after a certain time is also a good move.
Indoors: The indoors of the homes are also highly polluted in cities. We must have some plants inside the homes also, that can filter the indoor polluted air.
Industrial waste: The factory owners must try and make possible that industrial waste is not dumped in the lakes or rivers. Government can also make laws for the same.
Say no to plastic: Plastic is one of the most harmful substances that can pollute air, water and soil all together. We must try and minimize the use of plastic as much as possible. Use just cloth bags instead of plastic.
Use Public transport: Avoid using cars and bikes for daily use. Try to use public transport, bicycle and car pools. This will not only curb air pollution but will also decrease the traffic on roads.
Walk: Try to go to nearby areas on foot i.e. walking, this will reduce pollution and will also improve your health .
Better garbage disposal: Use the structural methods of garbage disposal in cities.

A small step can help in a big way and contribution of every citizen will make the urban areas more livable. Following these simple steps and with a little help from the government, we can definitely reduce the city pollution a lot. If we do not wake up today and do not realize the worst condition of natural resources then after some time our future generations will not be able to survive, It’s far to enjoy the environment .

Essay on Pollution Due To Urbanization and Digital India – Essay 5 (600 words)

In order to create a better tomorrow we have created a difficult toady. We have urbanized our villages and made them into hi-tech cities that have all the modern facilities and everyday we are creating something or the other new. Today we all dream of a digital India. In a country every citizen uses technology for his/her betterment. We aim to create a world where everything is just a button push away. Everyday more and more Indians are using technology for making their day to day life easy. Today we have become the slaves of technology and cannot live without technology even for a minute. We need to be connected all the time. Even our government is trying to transform the nation into a digitally empowered society.

Digital India and Environmental Importance

We see a smart phone in the hands of everybody even a labor of these days. Everybody understands the power and the reach of the internet. We no more call, now video call our loved ones. Any information can reach to any corner of the world in seconds now. We cannot ignore the power of digitalization. But what is the important question here is that can digitization of the digital movement be ‘environmental substantial’. We must ask this question to the founding fathers of digital India; can they assure that through this digitization our precious environment will not be harmed? Is it possible to move forward with modernization without harming the natural resources and without disturbing the ecological balance?

The digital revolution is such thing which touches every aspect of our life as it connects us to the rest of the world all the time. We all know that the digital appliances have carbon emissions and that has harmful effects on our eco system. We are also aware that these appliances emit radiations that are very harmful for humans. It is also advised not to keep mobile phones very near to your head or heart at night.

So in short, these digital devices are more harmful than helpful. We are also consuming power at a rapid speed and soon all the power will be exhausted. We are creating new and more advanced devices day by and day and we forget that all these use power and more devices means more use of power. The consumption is increasing day by day but what we do not realize that natural resources are scarce. There will be a day when they will not be able to satisfy our power needs. Soon there will be a time when these devices will become uncontrollable and we will then suffer from the harmful effects.

The digital India comes with a cost. It can have effects on us at many levels like, it pollutes our environment, it degrades our ecosystem and most importantly it causes many harmful effects on our physical health. The radiations cause vision problems, headaches and many other such issues. What we lack are the tools of awareness that can tell us how to control these effects. Do we really need a digital India today that cannot promise a better tomorrow?

There is a strong need to create a mass concern effort that can bring awareness about these problems. Digitization is good but it must be in controlled levels so that we can move forward but also make sure that our environment is safe. It is our duty to leave a pollution free environment and safe world for our future generations.

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Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation

Urbanization refers to the process of increasing population and industrialization in urban areas. As cities continue to grow and expand, pollution caused by urbanization has become a significant environmental concern. Urbanization leads to increased pollution in many forms, including air pollution, water pollution, and noise pollution.

Air pollution is one of the most significant environmental problems caused by urbanization. Urban areas typically have a high concentration of vehicles, industry, and power plants, all of which are major sources of air pollution. The burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, releases harmful pollutants, including particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, into the air. These pollutants can have a range of negative health effects, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, air pollution can also damage crops and buildings, and contribute to climate change.

Water pollution

Water pollution is another major problem caused by urbanization. Urban areas typically have a high population density, which leads to an increase in the amount of waste and sewage produced. This can lead to the pollution of water sources, including rivers, lakes, and oceans, with harmful chemicals and pollutants. In addition, urbanization can also lead to the destruction of natural habitats, such as wetlands and rivers, which can negatively impact local ecosystems.

Noise pollution

Noise pollution is another environmental problem caused by urbanization. Urban areas typically have a high level of traffic and industrial noise, which can have negative effects on human health and well-being. Noise pollution can cause hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and stress, and can also negatively impact wildlife.

Urbanization also contributes to the destruction of natural habitats and loss of biodiversity. Urban areas often require large amounts of land for development, which leads to the destruction of forests, wetlands, and other natural habitats. This can have a negative impact on local ecosystems and wildlife, and can also contribute to climate change.

Urbanization can also lead to a lack of green spaces and access to nature in urban areas. This can have negative effects on human health and well-being, as well as negatively impacting local ecosystems.

To address the pollution caused by urbanization, there are several actions that can be taken. One approach is to reduce the use of fossil fuels and promote the use of clean energy sources, such as solar and wind power. This can help to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, strict regulations and laws can be implemented to control and minimize pollution from industrial and transportation sources.

Another approach is to promote sustainable urban planning and development. This can include incorporating green spaces and access to nature in urban areas, promoting compact and efficient land use, and encouraging the use of public transportation.

Finally, individuals can also play a role in reducing pollution caused by urbanization by making eco-friendly choices and taking actions such as reducing energy consumption, using public transportation, and recycling.

Urbanization leads to a range of environmental problems, including air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, loss of biodiversity, and lack of green spaces. To address these problems, a combination of policy measures, urban planning and individual actions are required. These measures include reducing the use of fossil fuels, promoting sustainable urban planning and development, and encouraging individuals to make eco-friendly choices and take actions to reduce pollution. By taking these actions, we can help to reduce the negative impact of urbanization on the environment and improve the health and well-being of both people and the planet.

Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation

Students are often asked to write an essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation

Introduction.

Urbanisation is the shift of population from rural to urban areas. It’s a sign of progress, but it also brings pollution.

Causes of Pollution

Urbanisation leads to increased vehicles, industries, and waste, causing air, water, and land pollution.

Effects of Pollution

Pollution harms our health, affects wildlife, and contributes to climate change.

While urbanisation is necessary, we must also focus on sustainable development to reduce pollution.

250 Words Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation

Urbanisation, the shift of population from rural to urban areas, has been a global trend over the past century. While it has driven economic growth and development, it has also led to a significant increase in pollution, posing serious environmental challenges.

Types of Pollution

Urbanisation primarily contributes to air, water, and noise pollution. Rapid industrialisation, increasing vehicles, and construction activities have intensified the release of harmful pollutants into the air. Water sources are contaminated by industrial effluents and domestic waste, while the incessant noise from vehicles and industries disrupts the tranquillity of urban areas.

Impact on Environment and Health

This pollution has far-reaching impacts on both the environment and human health. It leads to climate change, biodiversity loss, and degradation of natural resources. For humans, exposure to polluted air and water increases the risk of respiratory diseases, cardiovascular conditions, and other health problems.

Need for Sustainable Urbanisation

The current trend of urbanisation is unsustainable. There is an urgent need to adopt eco-friendly practices, promote green technologies, and improve waste management. Policymakers must also focus on creating urban spaces that balance development with environmental preservation.

Urbanisation is a double-edged sword. While it brings economic prosperity and societal advancement, it also leads to pollution and environmental degradation. The challenge is to harness the benefits of urbanisation while minimising its negative impacts, ensuring a sustainable future for all.

500 Words Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation

Urbanisation, the process of transforming rural areas into urban spaces, has been a double-edged sword for humanity. On one hand, it has brought about economic growth, social development, and technological advancements. On the other hand, it has led to an unprecedented increase in pollution, posing a serious threat to the environment and human health.

The Impact of Urbanisation on Air Quality

One of the most visible forms of pollution resulting from urbanisation is air pollution. As cities grow, the demand for energy, transportation, and industry escalates. This leads to increased emissions of harmful pollutants like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. These pollutants not only degrade air quality but also contribute to the formation of smog and acid rain, affecting both human health and the environment.

Urbanisation and Water Pollution

Urbanisation also significantly contributes to water pollution. Rapid urban growth often outpaces the development of necessary infrastructure, such as sewage and waste treatment facilities. As a result, untreated waste often finds its way into rivers and lakes, leading to the contamination of water bodies. This not only harms aquatic life but also poses risks to human health, as polluted water is a major source of diseases like cholera and dysentery.

The Role of Urbanisation in Soil and Noise Pollution

Soil pollution is another environmental issue exacerbated by urbanisation. The construction of buildings, roads, and other infrastructure often involves the removal of topsoil, leading to soil degradation. Additionally, the improper disposal of solid waste in urban areas can lead to soil contamination.

Noise pollution, often overlooked, is a significant byproduct of urbanisation. The constant din of traffic, construction, and other urban activities can have serious implications for human health, including stress-related illnesses, hearing loss, and sleep disturbances.

Urbanisation and the Heat Island Effect

Urbanisation also contributes to the phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect. This occurs when urban areas, due to their concrete structures and lack of green spaces, absorb and retain more heat than surrounding rural areas. This not only increases energy consumption for cooling but also exacerbates global warming.

In conclusion, while urbanisation brings about numerous benefits, it also contributes significantly to various forms of pollution. Therefore, it is crucial to adopt sustainable urban planning and development practices. This includes promoting energy-efficient technologies, improving waste management systems, and preserving green spaces. Only through such measures can we ensure that the process of urbanisation is in harmony with the environment, thus securing a healthier and more sustainable future for all.

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Urbanization and Global Health: The Role of Air Pollution

1. Dept. of Economic, School of Business, Dalian University of Technology, Panjin, Liaoning, China

2. Dept. of Social Medicine and Maternal & Child Health, School of Public Health, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China

Background:

The world is experiencing the biggest wave of urban growth in history. The association between urbanization and health at the global level, as well as the role of air pollution, has not been studied. We aimed to examine the effect of urbanization on global health and the role of air pollution.

Unbalanced panel data comprising 3, 093 observations of 163 countries for 1990–2012 from the World Bank database was used. An infinite distributed lag model was applied to estimate the contemporary and long-term effects of urbanization on health outcomes measured by mortality, under-five mortality, infant mortality, life expectancy at birth(all; female; and male).

Urbanization was positively related to global health in the short term and long term. In the short run, 1% increase in urbanization was associated with reduced mortality, under-five mortality, and infant mortality of 0.05%, 0.04%, and 0.04%, respectively, as well as increased life expectancy of 0.01 year. The effects of urbanization were stronger for high-income countries. However, air pollution undermined the positive impacts of urbanization on health.

Conclusion:

Although urbanization leads to improved global health, air pollution undermines the positive effects of urbanization on health. Developing sustainable urbanization practices is crucial for addressing the challenges of pollution caused by urbanization.

Introduction

Urbanization refers to the process of expansion in the proportion of population residing in urban areas. The world is experiencing the biggest wave of urban growth in history. Currently, over 50% of the global population lives in urban areas- this is 3.9 billion, and by 2030, this number will rise to about 5 billion ( 1 ). Urbanization leads to great social and economic progress. Although urbanization is related to a series of human welfare outcomes, its influence on population health is not so clear. Urban residents may benefit from improved sanitation, infrastructure, and access to health services; however, they may be confronted with other issues, including unhealthy lifestyles and environmental pollution in urban areas ( 2 – 5 ).

The early empirical studies on the relationship between urbanization and health focus on developed or high-income countries, which reveal that the association of urbanization and health is complex. The majority of studies found that urbanization results in health improvement ( 6 – 9 ). However, in urban areas, where the bulk of the population excessively concentrates, unsatisfying sanitation and health promotion intervention leave much to be desired; thus, urbanization may be related to poorer health ( 10 – 12 ). Urban growth is expected to occur faster in low-income or developing countries. The urbanization in some countries is related mostly to economic development. In developing countries, the largest cities are concentrated in the largest economies (e.g. Brazil in Latin America and China in Asia). “There are also some cities in other regions (e.g., sub-Saharan Africa) where movement occurs despite economic stagnation and in others whose urban population is increased by the movement thereof people displaced by wars, civil strife, or drought” ( 5 ). Thus, the empirical literature on the association between urbanization and health laid emphasis on either large cities or ghettos in developing or low-income countries. Few studies found urbanization improves health, most of them asserted that urbanization results in a health penalty ( 13 – 20 ). It is unknown whether, and if so, to what extent, urbanization affects global health.

The heterogeneous findings across countries may lie on the facts that the levels of pollution in low-income or developing countries are often several orders of magnitude higher than those in high-income or developed countries. Most of that pollution is coming from urbanization development ( 21 ). Air pollution causes obvious health damage to humans ( 22 ). Lives are cut short by heart disease, stroke, lung disease or cancer that are triggered or exacerbated by air pollutants ( 23 , 24 ). Air pollution is expected to play a more important role in the association of urbanization and health outcomes, not studied in the literature ( 25 ). Our study attempts to fill these gaps by investigating two questions: 1) How does urbanization affect health in the world with various levels of urbanization? 2) What is the role of air pollution?

We evaluated the relationship between urbanization and health in 163 countries for which the relevant data for analysis are available from the World Bank. Our findings not only supported the improved health outcomes related to urbanization but also indicated that air pollution might threaten the positive health influence of urbanization.

Materials and Methods

To estimate the effects of urbanization on mortality, unbalanced panel data comprising 3093 observations from 163 countries for the period 1990–2012. The primary data source used in this study is World Development Indicators compiled by the World Bank ( 26 ).

In this study, mortality rate, under-five mortality, infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births), and life expectancy (all, female, male) were applied to demonstrate global health status. Mortality rate and life expectancy at birth are both major indicators determined for evaluation in most epidemiological studies and clinical trials. In addition, mortality rate and life expectancy are “hard” data with easily understandable meaning of the health status outcome ( 27 ).

An infinite distributed lag model (IDL) was applied to estimate the contemporary and lagged effect of urbanization on health. In the model, no lag length needs to be taken into account for the lagged effect of urbanization on health, therefore the model solves the problem of choosing the correct lag length ( 28 ). The IDL model, on the basis of Neumayor’s study, can be presented as follows with panel data context ( 28 , 29 ):

In Equation [1] , Y it represents the health outcomes for country i at time t ; U it is the urbanization level of country i at time t; Pit and P it 2 are air pollution intensity and its quadratic term, respectively. Air pollution intensity refers to the indicator of total greenhouse gas emissions per Gross Domestic Product (GDP) (kt of CO2 equivalent/hundred billion dollars). U it ×P it is the interaction of air pollution emissions intensity and urbanization.

X it is a vector representing other covariates for city i at time t . To represent the channels through which macroeconomic variables may influence health, X it includes population density; gender ratio; the proportion of population aged 65 year and older; GDP growth level; primary school enrollment rate; official development assistance per capita; and share of urban population with improved sanitation ( 30 ).

u i represents the country dummy variable, and v it is the idiosyncratic error term.

Following Arellano and Bond (1991), the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimator was used to estimate the equation [1]. The basic idea of this estimator is to use all prior dependent variables that are valid instruments. Robust standard errors were employed, which are robust toward arbitrary autocorrelation as well as heteroscedasticity. The LLC (Levin–Lin–Chu) and IPS (Im–Pesaran–Shin) tests rejected the hypothesis of unit roots ( P <0.01), the series are stationary. A Sargan test proved the validity of the model.

The contemporaneous effects of urbanization could be calculated by d+the mean of air pollution emissions intens ity×g, while the long-term effects could be computed by the contemporaneous effects/(1-b) for b<1; for b>1, the long-term effects denoted the health effect of urbanization in the next ten years, calculated by the contemporaneous effects× (1-b 10 )/(1-b). Analyses were also stratified by income level, which is set according to the World Bank’ criteria for 2012 ( 26 ). Statistical analyses were performed using STATA 14.0.

Statistical description

Country characteristics are presented in Table 1 . For the entire sample period, the average mortality rate per 1,000 individuals was 9.08; the average under-five mortality was 66.44% and the infant mortality was 45.73%.

Characteristics of 163 countries for the period 1990–2012 by income

Note: Data are presented as mean (standard deviation)

Life expectancy at birth was estimated at 64.93 year, with female life expectancy being 62.95 year, which was lower than the male life expectancy of 67.20 year.

The mean urbanization level was 46.26%. Air pollution intensity was 7.37 KT of CO2 equivalent per hundred billion dollars GDP.

Overall, health outcomes have fluctuated over countries. High-income countries fared better in health indicators, showing lower mortality and longer life expectancy (mortality: 7.03; life expectancy: 70.69) than low-income countries (mortality: 10.02; life expectancy: 62.33). Urbanization in high-income countries (59%) was significantly greater than that in low-income countries (41%). In contrast with urbanization and health, air pollution intensity in high-income countries (2.53 KT of CO2 equivalent per hundred billion dollars GDP) was significantly lower than in low-income countries (9.57 KT of CO2 equivalent per hundred billion dollars GDP).

Multivariate regression results

The relationship between urbanization and health outcomes as well as the role of air pollution was estimated ( Table 2 ). Urbanization brought benefits to health outcomes measured by mortality, under-five mortality, infant mortality, life expectancy, female life expectancy, and male life expectancy at birth ( P <0.01). A 1% increase in the urbanization level led to a reduction of 0.06%, 0.05%, and 0.06% in the mortality rate, under-five mortality, and infant mortality, respectively, as well as an increase of 0.01 in the life expectancy at birth (female: 0.002; male: 0.01), without considering the effect of air pollution. However, air pollution played an adverse role in the association of urbanization and health outcomes. After adjusting for air pollution, a 1% increase in the urbanization level was related to a lower 0.05% (−1%*5.85+1%*0.11*7.37) mortality rate, a lower 0.04‰ (−1%*5.18+1%*0.10*7.37) under-five mortality, and a lower 0.04% (−1%*5.86+1%*0.11*7.37) infant mortality, respectively. A 1% increase in the urbanization level was associated with a longer 0.01 (1%*1.28–1%*0.1*7.37) life expectancy at birth, a 0.02 (1%*2.32–1%*0.10*7.37) longer female life expectancy at birth. However, for male, urbanization decreased the life expectancy at birth by 0.00 (1%*0.58–1%*0.10*7.37).

Associations between urbanization level, air pollution and health outcomes

Note: Coefficient (Robust standard error) were calculated by the infinite distributed lag model, on the basis of Neumayor’s study

Table 3 presents the results when the analysis stratified by income level. Urbanization improved health outcomes for both high-income countries and low-income countries without considering the impact of air pollution. However, the favorable effects of urbanization on health outcomes were significantly reduced by air pollution in low-income countries. Air pollution played a significant and adverse role in the association of urbanization and health outcomes in low-income countries judging from the interaction of air pollution and urbanization. Whereas, compared to low-income countries, the adverse role of air pollution was insignificant for the majority of health indicators in high-income countries.

Associations between urbanization level and health outcomes by income level

Note: Control variables included urbanization; air pollution intensity and its quadratic term; the interaction of air pollution emissions intensity and urbanization; population density; gender ratio; the proportion of population aged 65 yr and older; GDP growth level; primary school enrollment rate; official development assistance per capita; share of urban population with improved sanitation and lag of independent variable. Coefficient (Robust standard error) were calculated by the infinite distributed lag model, on the basis of Neumayor’s study

The contemporary and long-term effects of urbanization on health outcomes were favorable controlling for air pollution. And the long-term effects were bigger. In the long run, a 1% increase of urbanization was associated with reduced mortality, under-five mortality, and infant mortality of 1.68%, 0.89%, and 1.01%, respectively, as well as increased life expectancy of 0.07 yr. Furthermore, the effects of urbanization were stronger for high-income countries ( Table 4 ).

The contemporary and long-term effects of urbanization on health outcomes

According to the World Bank, the ratio of urban population at the global level has already exceeded 53.86% in 2015, and this will continue to rise in the coming decades ( 31 ). Urbanization has been considered as one of the most important development strategies. Urbanization works as the engine of socio-economic development ( 32 ). At the same time, urbanization puts pressure on urban ecosystems, which may cause health damage ( 33 ). There is a significant variation in urbanization along with air pollution across the regions. Some countries are able to develop a satisfying urbanization with low air pollution in year 1990–2012 (e.g., Denmark (urbanization: 83.09%; air pollution intensity: 1.01 kt of CO2 equivalent/hundred billion dollars); some others achieve high-level urbanization, but air pollution is also serious (e.g., Russia (urbanization: 68.93%; air pollution intensity: 5.912 kt of CO2 equivalent/hundred billion dollars)); others’ urbanization maintain a low-level, but air pollution has been severe (e.g., Vietnam (urbanization: 21.71%; air pollution intensity: 5.66 kt of CO2 equivalent/hundred billion dollars)).

Such a variation provides data sets to estimate the association between urbanization and health, as well as the role of air pollution. No study has examined the effects of urbanization along with air pollution on health from a global perspective. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the health performance of urbanization at a global level.

Overall, urbanization led to improved global health. However, air pollution undermined the favorable impacts of urbanization on health and resulted in a health penalty. The health penalty is stronger for the low-income countries, where air pollution intensity was more serious. Some countries even find a substantial health penalty of urbanization that reverses the health effects linked to urbanization (e.g., China) ( 19 ).

Urbanization is undeveloped in low-income countries and air pollution is anticipated to keep rising along with urbanization for a long time ( 1 , 21 ). From a policy perspective, how to balance urbanization and air pollution to achieve sustainable development deserves attention. This study may still provide a new method for establishing urbanization policies as well as policies related to both individual health and public health concerns. First, developing sustainable urbanization practices is crucial for addressing the challenges of pollution caused by urbanization ( 34 , 35 ). Governments should take health and environmental protection into consideration for urbanization construction and evaluation. In this regard, governments and various non-governmental organizations worldwide have been increasingly introducing low-carbon measures to guide the practices of sustainable urbanization toward better health, including the UN’s Millennium Declaration ( 36 ), the Istanbul Declaration of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ( 37 ) the Mexico City Government, Green Plan ( 38 ), and the Government of Singapore’s Green Plan ( 39 ). The promotion of sustainable and low-carbon urbanization in the last decade has resulted in many positive experiences, and sharing and learning the best practice between different countries can significantly contribute to the global mission of sustainable urbanization ( 40 ).

Second, our findings provide justification for interventions of health that target exposure to air pollution along with the improved urbanization level. Economic development cannot solve all the health problem, what is worse, economic development may bring health penalty (e.g. air pollution brought by urbanization). In this case, we cannot rely on economic development to tackle down all the health issues. As such, basing policy on urbanization and economic development may be insufficient to protect population health. More precise measures should be determined and implemented to meet the health needs of those people. For instance, public health policy should provide information to them on how to deal with the adverse effects of air pollution. Further, health outcomes among individuals living in low-income countries were particularly susceptible to fluctuations in air quality. The difference of health status between high-income countries and low-income countries are expected to be widened if air pollution continues to be serious in the latter countries. Special attention should be paid to population health in low-income countries. The governments and international organizations should work to enhance urbanization as well as focus prevention strategies and environmental regulation in the low-income countries.

This study extends the research on the subject of health effects of urbanization by testing the relationship between the two all over the world and the role of air pollution. However, the limitations of this study must be taken into consideration.

While we highlight air pollution as an important mechanism, other channels exist through which urbanization may impact health. Unhealthy lifestyles and other pollution forms are significant determinants. There is a growing concern over the pollution of water and solids and lifestyles linked to urbanization ( 41 , 17 , 19 ). Social cohesion, mutual trust, and social integration are also related to global health ( 42 ). Future research must consider these points when analyzing the effects of urbanization on population health.

Using an unbalanced panel data of 163 countries for 1990–2012 from the World Bank database, this study evaluated the short-run and long-term effects of urbanization on global health. The role of air pollution was also estimated. Overall, global health gained benefits from urbanization. However, air pollution may undermine the health improvement from urbanization. Government should seek balance between urbanization and air pollution regulation to achieve sustainable development.

Ethical considerations

Ethical issues (Including plagiarism, informed consent, misconduct, data fabrication and/or falsification, double publication and/or submission, redundancy, etc.) have been completely observed by the authors.

Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 71503059), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. DUT17RC( 4 )24), China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (No. 2018m630284). The contents of this publication are solely the responsibility of author.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests.

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Published: 29 October 2020

Urban and air pollution: a multi-city study of long-term effects of urban landscape patterns on air quality trends

Lu Liang 1 &
Peng Gong 2 , 3 , 4

Scientific Reports volume 10 , Article number: 18618 ( 2020 ) Cite this article

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Environmental sciences

Most air pollution research has focused on assessing the urban landscape effects of pollutants in megacities, little is known about their associations in small- to mid-sized cities. Considering that the biggest urban growth is projected to occur in these smaller-scale cities, this empirical study identifies the key urban form determinants of decadal-long fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) trends in all 626 Chinese cities at the county level and above. As the first study of its kind, this study comprehensively examines the urban form effects on air quality in cities of different population sizes, at different development levels, and in different spatial-autocorrelation positions. Results demonstrate that the urban form evolution has long-term effects on PM 2.5 level, but the dominant factors shift over the urbanization stages: area metrics play a role in PM 2.5 trends of small-sized cities at the early urban development stage, whereas aggregation metrics determine such trends mostly in mid-sized cities. For large cities exhibiting a higher degree of urbanization, the spatial connectedness of urban patches is positively associated with long-term PM 2.5 level increases. We suggest that, depending on the city’s developmental stage, different aspects of the urban form should be emphasized to achieve long-term clean air goals.

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Introduction

Air pollution represents a prominent threat to global society by causing cascading effects on individuals 1 , medical systems 2 , ecosystem health 3 , and economies 4 in both developing and developed countries 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 . About 90% of global citizens lived in areas that exceed the safe level in the World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines 9 . Among all types of ecosystems, urban produce roughly 78% of carbon emissions and substantial airborne pollutants that adversely affect over 50% of the world’s population living in them 5 , 10 . While air pollution affects all regions, there exhibits substantial regional variation in air pollution levels 11 . For instance, the annual mean concentration of fine particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter of less than 2.5 \(\upmu\mathrm{m}\) (PM 2.5 ) in the most polluted cities is nearly 20 times higher than the cleanest city according to a survey of 499 global cities 12 . Many factors can influence the regional air quality, including emissions, meteorology, and physicochemical transformations. Another non-negligible driver is urbanization—a process that alters the size, structure, and growth of cities in response to the population explosion and further leads to lasting air quality challenges 13 , 14 , 15 .

With the global trend of urbanization 16 , the spatial composition, configuration, and density of urban land uses (refer to as urban form) will continue to evolve 13 . The investigation of urban form impacts on air quality has been emerging in both empirical 17 and theoretical 18 research. While the area and density of artificial surface areas have well documented positive relationship with air pollution 19 , 20 , 21 , the effects of urban fragmentation on air quality have been controversial. In theory, compact cities promote high residential density with mixed land uses and thus reduce auto dependence and increase the usage of public transit and walking 21 , 22 . The compact urban development has been proved effective in mitigating air pollution in some cities 23 , 24 . A survey of 83 global urban areas also found that those with highly contiguous built-up areas emitted less NO 2 22 . In contrast, dispersed urban form can decentralize industrial polluters, improve fuel efficiency with less traffic congestion, and alleviate street canyon effects 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 . Polycentric and dispersed cities support the decentralization of jobs that lead to less pollution emission than compact and monocentric cities 29 . The more open spaces in a dispersed city support air dilution 30 . In contrast, compact cities are typically associated with stronger urban heat island effects 31 , which influence the availability and the advection of primary and secondary pollutants 32 .

The mixed evidence demonstrates the complex interplay between urban form and air pollution, which further implies that the inconsistent relationship may exist in cities at different urbanization levels and over different periods 33 . Few studies have attempted to investigate the urban form–air pollution relationship with cross-sectional and time series data 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 . Most studies were conducted in one city or metropolitan region 38 , 39 or even at the country level 40 . Furthermore, large cities or metropolitan areas draw the most attention in relevant studies 5 , 41 , 42 , and the small- and mid-sized cities, especially those in developing countries, are heavily underemphasized. However, virtually all world population growth 43 , 44 and most global economic growth 45 , 46 are expected to occur in those cities over the next several decades. Thus, an overlooked yet essential task is to account for various levels of cities, ranging from large metropolitan areas to less extensive urban area, in the analysis.

This study aims to improve the understanding of how the urban form evolution explains the decadal-long changes of the annual mean PM 2.5 concentrations in 626 cities at the county-level and above in China. China has undergone unprecedented urbanization over the past few decades and manifested a high degree of heterogeneity in urban development 47 . Thus, Chinese cities serve as a good model for addressing the following questions: (1) whether the changes in urban landscape patterns affect trends in PM 2.5 levels? And (2) if so, do the determinants vary by cities?

City boundaries

Our study period spans from the year 2000 to 2014 to keep the data completeness among all data sources. After excluding cities with invalid or missing PM 2.5 or sociodemographic value, a total of 626 cities, with 278 prefecture-level cities and 348 county-level cities, were selected. City boundaries are primarily based on the Global Rural–Urban Mapping Project (GRUMP) urban extent polygons that were defined by the extent of the nighttime lights 48 , 49 . Few adjustments were made. First, in the GRUMP dataset, large agglomerations that include several cities were often described in one big polygon. We manually split those polygons into individual cities based on the China Administrative Regions GIS Data at 1:1 million scales 50 . Second, since the 1978 economic reforms, China has significantly restructured its urban administrative/spatial system. Noticeable changes are the abolishment of several prefectures and the promotion of many former county-level cities to prefecture-level cities 51 . Thus, all city names were cross-checked between the year 2000 and 2014, and the mismatched records were replaced with the latest names.

PM 2.5 concentration data

The annual mean PM 2.5 surface concentration (micrograms per cubic meter) for each city over the study period was calculated from the Global Annual PM 2.5 Grids at 0.01° resolution 52 . This data set combines Aerosol Optical Depth retrievals from multiple satellite instruments including the NASA Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR), and the Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS). The global 3-D chemical transport model GEOS-Chem is further applied to relate this total column measure of aerosol to near-surface PM 2.5 concentration, and geographically weighted regression is finally used with global ground-based measurements to predict and adjust for the residual PM 2.5 bias per grid cell in the initial satellite-derived values.

Human settlement layer

The urban forms were quantified with the 40-year (1978–2017) record of annual impervious surface maps for both rural and urban areas in China 47 , 53 . This state-of-art product provides substantial spatial–temporal details on China’s human settlement changes. The annual impervious surface maps covering our study period were generated from 30-m resolution Landsat images acquired onboard Landsat 5, 7, and 8 using an automatic “Exclusion/Inclusion” mapping framework 54 , 55 . The output used here was the binary impervious surface mask, with the value of one indicating the presence of human settlement and the value of zero identifying non-residential areas. The product assessment concluded good performance. The cross-comparison against 2356 city or town locations in GeoNames proved an overall high agreement (88%) and approximately 80% agreement was achieved when compared against visually interpreted 650 urban extent areas in the year 1990, 2000, and 2010.

Control variables

To provide a holistic assessment of the urban form effects, we included control variables that are regarded as important in influencing air quality to account for the confounding effects.

Four variables, separately population size, population density, and two economic measures, were acquired from the China City Statistical Yearbook 56 (National Bureau of Statistics 2000–2014). Population size is used to control for the absolute level of pollution emissions 41 . Larger populations are associated with increased vehicle usage and vehicle-kilometers travels, and consequently boost tailpipes emissions 5 . Population density is a useful reflector of transportation demand and the fraction of emissions inhaled by people 57 . We also included gross regional product (GRP) and the proportion of GRP generated from the secondary sector (GRP2). The impact of economic development on air quality is significant but in a dynamic way 58 . The rising per capita income due to the concentration of manufacturing industrial activities can deteriorate air quality and vice versa if the stronger economy is the outcome of the concentration of less polluting high-tech industries. Meteorological conditions also have short- and long-term effects on the occurrence, transport, and dispersion of air pollutants 59 , 60 , 61 . Temperature affects chemical reactions and atmospheric turbulence that determine the formation and diffusion of particles 62 . Low air humidity can lead to the accumulation of air pollutants due to it is conducive to the adhesion of atmospheric particulate matter on water vapor 63 . Whereas high humidity can lead to wet deposition processes that can remove air pollutants by rainfall. Wind speed is a crucial indicator of atmospheric activity by greatly affect air pollutant transport and dispersion. All meteorological variables were calculated based on China 1 km raster layers of monthly relative humidity, temperature, and wind speed that are interpolated from over 800 ground monitoring stations 64 . Based on the monthly layer, we calculated the annual mean of each variable for each year. Finally, all pixels falling inside of the city boundary were averaged to represent the overall meteorological condition of each city.

Considering the dynamic urban form-air pollution relationship evidenced from the literature review, our hypothesis is: the determinants of PM 2.5 level trends are not the same for cities undergoing different levels of development or in different geographic regions. To test this hypothesis, we first categorized city groups following (1) social-economic development level, (2) spatial autocorrelation relationship, and (3) population size. We then assessed the relationship between urban form and PM 2.5 level trends by city groups. Finally, we applied the panel data models to different city groups for hypothesis testing and key determinant identification (Fig. 1 ).

Methodology workflow.

Calculation of urban form metrics

Based on the previous knowledge 65 , 66 , 67 , fifteen landscape metrics falling into three categories, separately area, shape, and aggregation, were selected. Those metrics quantify the compositional and configurational characteristics of the urban landscape, as represented by urban expansion, urban shape complexity, and compactness (Table 1 ).

Area metrics gives an overview of the urban extent and the size of urban patches that are correlated with PM 2.5 20 . As an indicator of the urbanization degree, total area (TA) typically increases constantly or remains stable, because the urbanization process is irreversible. Number of patches (NP) refers to the number of discrete parcels of urban settlement within a given urban extent and Mean Patch Size (AREA_MN) measures the average patch size. Patch density (PD) indicates the urbanization stages. It usually increases with urban diffusion until coalescence starts, after which decreases in number 66 . Largest Patch Index (LPI) measures the percentage of the landscape encompassed by the largest urban patch.

The shape complexity of urban patches was represented by Mean Patch Shape Index (SHAPE_MN), Mean Patch Fractal Dimension (FRAC_MN), and Mean Contiguity Index (CONTIG_MN). The greater irregularity the landscape shape, the larger the value of SHAPE_MN and FRAC_MN. CONTIG_MN is another method of assessing patch shape based on the spatial connectedness or contiguity of cells within a patch. Larger contiguous patches will result in larger CONTIG_MN.

Aggregation metrics measure the spatial compactness of urban land, which affects pollutant diffusion and dilution. Mean Euclidean nearest-neighbor distance (ENN_MN) quantifies the average distance between two patches within a landscape. It decreases as patches grow together and increases as the urban areas expand. Landscape Shape Index (LSI) indicates the divergence of the shape of a landscape patch that increases as the landscape becomes increasingly disaggregated 68 . Patch Cohesion Index (COHESION) is suggestive of the connectedness degree of patches 69 . Splitting Index (SPLIT) and Landscape Division Index (DIVISION) increase as the separation of urban patches rises, whereas, Mesh Size (MESH) decreases as the landscape becomes more fragmented. Aggregation Index (AI) measures the degree of aggregation or clumping of urban patches. Higher values of continuity indicate higher building densities, which may have a stronger effect on pollution diffusion.

The detailed descriptions of these indices are given by the FRAGSTATS user’s guide 70 . The calculation input is a layer of binary grids of urban/nonurban. The resulting output is a table containing one row for each city and multiple columns representing the individual metrics.

Division of cities

Division based on the socioeconomic development level.

The socioeconomic development level in China is uneven. The unequal development of the transportation system, descending in topography from the west to the east, combined with variations in the availability of natural and human resources and industrial infrastructure, has produced significantly wide gaps in the regional economies of China. By taking both the economic development level and natural geography into account, China can be loosely classified into Eastern, Central, and Western regions. Eastern China is generally wealthier than the interior, resulting from closeness to coastlines and the Open-Door Policy favoring coastal regions. Western China is historically behind in economic development because of its high elevation and rugged topography, which creates barriers in the transportation infrastructure construction and scarcity of arable lands. Central China, echoing its name, is in the process of economic development. This region neither benefited from geographic convenience to the coast nor benefited from any preferential policies, such as the Western Development Campaign.

Division based on spatial autocorrelation relationship

The second type of division follows the fact that adjacent cities are likely to form air pollution clusters due to the mixing and diluting nature of air pollutants 71 , i.e., cities share similar pollution levels as its neighbors. The underlying processes driving the formation of pollution hot spots and cold spots may differ. Thus, we further divided the city into groups based on the spatial clusters of PM 2.5 level changes.

Local indicators of spatial autocorrelation (LISA) was used to determine the local patterns of PM 2.5 distribution by clustering cities with a significant association. In the presence of global spatial autocorrelation, LISA indicates whether a variable exhibits significant spatial dependence and heterogeneity at a given scale 72 . Practically, LISA relates each observation to its neighbors and assigns a value of significance level and degree of spatial autocorrelation, which is calculated by the similarity in variable \(z\) between observation \(i\) and observation \(j\) in the neighborhood of \(i\) defined by a matrix of weights \({w}_{ij}\) 7 , 73 :

where \({I}_{i}\) is the Moran’s I value for location \(i\) ; \({\sigma }^{2}\) is the variance of variable \(z\) ; \(\bar{z}\) is the average value of \(z\) with the sample number of \(n\) . The weight matrix \({w}_{ij}\) is defined by the k-nearest neighbors distance measure, i.e., each object’s neighborhood consists of four closest cites.

The computation of Moran’s I enables the identification of hot spots and cold spots. The hot spots are high-high clusters where the increase in the PM 2.5 level is higher than the surrounding areas, whereas cold spots are low-low clusters with the presence of low values in a low-value neighborhood. A Moran scatterplot, with x-axis as the original variable and y-axis as the spatially lagged variable, reflects the spatial association pattern. The slope of the linear fit to the scatter plot is an estimation of the global Moran's I 72 (Fig. 2 ). The plot consists of four quadrants, each defining the relationship between an observation 74 . The upper right quadrant indicates hot spots and the lower left quadrant displays cold spots 75 .

Moran’s I scatterplot. Figure was produced by R 3.4.3 76 .

Division based on population size

The last division was based on population size, which is a proven factor in changing per capita emissions in a wide selection of global cities, even outperformed land urbanization rate 77 , 78 , 79 . We used the 2014 urban population to classify the cities into four groups based on United Nations definitions 80 : (1) large agglomerations with a total population larger than 1 million; (2) mid-sized cities, 500,000–1 million; (3) small cities, 250,000–500,000, and (4) very small cities, 100,000–250,000.

Panel data analysis

The panel data analysis is an analytical method that deals with observations from multiple entities over multiple periods. Its capacity in analyzing the characteristics and changes from both the time-series and cross-section dimensions of data surpasses conventional models that purely focus on one dimension 81 , 82 . The estimation equation for the panel data model in this study is given as:

where the subscript \(i\) and \(t\) refer to city and year respectively. \(\upbeta _{{0}}\) is the intercept parameter and \(\upbeta _{{1}} - { }\upbeta _{{{18}}}\) are the estimates of slope coefficients. \(\varepsilon \) is the random error. All variables are transformed into natural logarithms.

Two methods can be used to obtain model estimates, separately fixed effects estimator and random effects estimator. The fixed effects estimator assumes that each subject has its specific characteristics due to inherent individual characteristic effects in the error term, thereby allowing differences to be intercepted between subjects. The random effects estimator assumes that the individual characteristic effect changes stochastically, and the differences in subjects are not fixed in time and are independent between subjects. To choose the right estimator, we run both models for each group of cities based on the Hausman specification test 83 . The null hypothesis is that random effects model yields consistent and efficient estimates 84 : \({H}_{0}{:}\,E\left({\varepsilon }_{i}|{X}_{it}\right)=0\) . If the null hypothesis is rejected, the fixed effects model will be selected for further inferences. Once the better estimator was determined for each model, one optimal panel data model was fit to each city group of one division type. In total, six, four, and eight runs were conducted for socioeconomic, spatial autocorrelation, and population division separately and three, two, and four panel data models were finally selected.

Spatial patterns of PM 2.5 level changes

During the period from 2000 to 2014, the annual mean PM 2.5 concentration of all cities increases from 27.78 to 42.34 µg/m 3 , both of which exceed the World Health Organization recommended annual mean standard (10 µg/m 3 ). It is worth noting that the PM 2.5 level in the year 2014 also exceeds China’s air quality Class 2 standard (35 µg/m 3 ) that applies to non-national park places, including urban and industrial areas. The standard deviation of annual mean PM 2.5 values for all cities increases from 12.34 to 16.71 µg/m 3 , which shows a higher variability of inter-urban PM 2.5 pollution after a decadal period. The least and most heavily polluted cities in China are Delingha, Qinghai (3.01 µg/m 3 ) and Jizhou, Hubei (64.15 µg/m 3 ) in 2000 and Hami, Xinjiang (6.86 µg/m 3 ) and Baoding, Hubei (86.72 µg/m 3 ) in 2014.

Spatially, the changes in PM 2.5 levels exhibit heterogeneous patterns across cities (Fig. 3 b). According to the socioeconomic level division (Fig. 3 a), the Eastern, Central, and Western region experienced a 38.6, 35.3, and 25.5 µg/m 3 increase in annual PM 2.5 mean , separately, and the difference among regions is significant according to the analysis of variance (ANOVA) results (Fig. 4 a). When stratified by spatial autocorrelation relationship (Fig. 3 c), the differences in PM 2.5 changes among the spatial clusters are even more dramatic. The average PM 2.5 increase in cities belonging to the high-high cluster is approximately 25 µg/m 3 , as compared to 5 µg/m 3 in the low-low clusters (Fig. 4 b). Finally, cities at four different population levels have significant differences in the changes of PM 2.5 concentration (Fig. 3 d), except for the mid-sized cities and large city agglomeration (Fig. 4 c).

( a ) Division of cities in China by socioeconomic development level and the locations of provincial capitals; ( b ) Changes in annual mean PM 2.5 concentrations between the year 2000 and 2014; ( c ) LISA cluster maps for PM 2.5 changes at the city level; High-high indicates a statistically significant cluster of high PM 2.5 level changes over the study period. Low-low indicates a cluster of low PM 2.5 inter-annual variation; No high-low cluster is reported; Low–high represents cities with high PM 2.5 inter-annual variation surrounded by cities with low variation; ( d ) Population level by cities in the year 2014. Maps were produced by ArcGIS 10.7.1 85 .

Boxplots of PM 2.5 concentration changes between 2000 and 2014 for city groups that are formed according to ( a ) socioeconomic development level division, ( b ) LISA clusters, and ( c ) population level. Asterisk marks represent the p value of ANOVA significant test between the corresponding pair of groups. Note ns not significant; * p value < 0.05; ** p value < 0.01; *** p value < 0.001; H–H high-high cluster, L–H low–high cluster, L–L denotes low–low cluster.

The effects of urban forms on PM 2.5 changes

The Hausman specification test for fixed versus random effects yields a p value less than 0.05, suggesting that the fixed effects model has better performance. We fit one panel data model to each city group and built nine models in total. All models are statistically significant at the p < 0.05 level and have moderate to high predictive power with the R 2 values ranging from 0.63 to 0.95, which implies that 63–95% of the variation in the PM 2.5 concentration changes can be explained by the explanatory variables (Table 2 ).

The urban form—PM 2.5 relationships differ distinctly in Eastern, Central, and Western China. All models reach high R 2 values. Model for Eastern China (refer to hereafter as Eastern model) achieves the highest R 2 (0.90), and the model for the Western China (refer to hereafter as Western model) reaches the lowest R 2 (0.83). The shape metrics FRAC and CONTIG are correlated with PM 2.5 changes in the Eastern model, whereas the area metrics AREA demonstrates a positive effect in the Western model. In contrast to the significant associations between shape, area metrics and PM 2.5 level changes in both Eastern and Western models, no such association was detected in the Central model. Nonetheless, two aggregation metrics, LSI and AI, play positive roles in determining the PM 2.5 trends in the Central model.

For models built upon the LISA clusters, the H–H model (R 2 = 0.95) reaches a higher fitting degree than the L–L model (R 2 = 0.63). The estimated coefficients vary substantially. In the H–H model, the coefficient of CONTIG is positive, which indicates that an increase in CONTIG would increase PM 2.5 pollution. In contrast, no shape metrics but one area metrics AREA is significant in the L–L model.

The results of the regression models built for cities at different population levels exhibit a distinct pattern. No urban form metrics was identified to have a significant relationship with the PM 2.5 level changes in groups of very small and mid-sized cities. For small size cities, the aggregation metrics COHESION was positively associated whereas AI was negatively related. For mid-sized cities and large agglomerations, CONTIG is the only significant variable that is positively related to PM 2.5 level changes.

Urban form is an effective measure of long-term PM 2.5 trends

All panel data models are statistically significant regardless of the data group they are built on, suggesting that the associations between urban form and ambient PM 2.5 level changes are discernible at all city levels. Importantly, these relationships are found to hold when controlling for population size and gross domestic product, implying that the urban landscape patterns have effects on long-term PM 2.5 trends that are independent of regional economic performance. These findings echo with the local, regional, and global evidence of urban form effect on various air pollution types 5 , 14 , 21 , 22 , 24 , 39 , 78 .

Although all models demonstrate moderate to high predictive power, the way how different urban form metrics respond to the dependent variable varies. Of all the metrics tested, shape metrics, especially CONTIG has the strongest effect on PM 2.5 trends in cities belonging to the high-high cluster, Eastern, and large urban agglomerations. All those regions have a strong economy and higher population density 86 . In the group of cities that are moderately developed, such as the Central region, as well as small- and mid-sized cities, aggregation metrics play a dominant negative role in PM 2.5 level changes. In contrast, in the least developed cities belonging to the low-low cluster regions and Western China, the metrics describing size and number of urban patches are the strongest predictors. AREA and NP are positively related whereas TA is negatively associated.

The impacts of urban form metrics on air quality vary by urbanization degree

Based on the above observations, how urban form affects within-city PM 2.5 level changes may differ over the urbanization stages. We conceptually summarized the pattern in Fig. 5 : area metrics have the most substantial influence on air pollution changes at the early urban development stage, and aggregation metrics emerge at the transition stage, whereas shape metrics affect the air quality trends at the terminal stage. The relationship between urban form and air pollution has rarely been explored with such a wide range of city selections. Most prior studies were focused on large urban agglomeration areas, and thus their conclusions are not representative towards small cities at the early or transition stage of urbanization.

The most influential metric of urban form in affecting PM 2.5 level changes at different urbanization stages.

Not surprisingly, the area metrics, which describe spatial grain of the landscape, exert a significant effect on PM 2.5 level changes in small-sized cities. This could be explained by the unusual urbanization speed of small-sized cities in the Chinese context. Their thriving mostly benefited from the urbanization policy in the 1980s, which emphasized industrialization of rural, small- and mid-sized cities 87 . With the large rural-to-urban migration and growing public interest in investing real estate market, a side effect is that the massive housing construction that sometimes exceeds market demand. Residential activities decline in newly built areas of smaller cities in China, leading to what are known as ghost cities 88 . Although ghost cities do not exist for all cities, high rate of unoccupied dwellings is commonly seen in cities under the prefectural level. This partly explained the negative impacts of TA on PM 2.5 level changes, as an expanded while unoccupied or non-industrialized urban zones may lower the average PM 2.5 concentration within the city boundary, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that the air quality got improved in the city cores.

Aggregation metrics at the landscape scale is often referred to as landscape texture that quantifies the tendency of patch types to be spatially aggregated; i.e., broadly speaking, aggregated or “contagious” distributions. This group of metrics is most effective in capturing the PM 2.5 trends in mid-sized cities (population range 25–50 k) and Central China, where the urbanization process is still undergoing. The three significant variables that reflect the spatial property of dispersion, separately landscape shape index, patch cohesion index, and aggregation index, consistently indicate that more aggregated landscape results in a higher degree of PM 2.5 level changes. Theoretically, the more compact urban form typically leads to less auto dependence and heavier reliance on the usage of public transit and walking, which contributes to air pollution mitigation 89 . This phenomenon has also been observed in China, as the vehicle-use intensity (kilometers traveled per vehicle per year, VKT) has been declining over recent years 90 . However, VKT only represents the travel intensity of one car and does not reflect the total distance traveled that cumulatively contribute to the local pollution. It should be noted that the private light-duty vehicle ownership in China has increased exponentially and is forecast to reach 23–42 million by 2050, with the share of new-growth purchases representing 16–28% 90 . In this case, considering the increased total distance traveled, the less dispersed urban form can exert negative effects on air quality by concentrating vehicle pollution emissions in a limited space.

Finally, urban contiguity, observed as the most effective shape metric in indicating PM 2.5 level changes, provides an assessment of spatial connectedness across all urban patches. Urban contiguity is found to have a positive effect on the long-term PM 2.5 pollution changes in large cities. Urban contiguity reflects to which degree the urban landscape is fragmented. Large contiguous patches result in large CONTIG_MN values. Among the 626 cities, only 11% of cities experience negative changes in urban contiguity. For example, Qingyang, Gansu is one of the cities-featuring leapfrogs and scattered development separated by vacant land that may later be filled in as the development continues (Fig. 6 ). Most Chinese cities experienced increased urban contiguity, with less fragmented and compacted landscape. A typical example is Shenzhou, Hebei, where CONTIG_MN rose from 0.27 to 0.45 within the 14 years. Although the 13 counties in Shenzhou are very far scattered from each other, each county is growing intensively internally rather than sprawling further outside. And its urban layout is thus more compact (Fig. 6 ). The positive association revealed in this study contradicts a global study indicating that cities with highly contiguous built-up areas have lower NO 2 pollution 22 . We noticed that the principal emission sources of NO 2 differ from that of PM 2.5. NO 2 is primarily emitted with the combustion of fossil fuels (e.g., industrial processes and power generation) 6 , whereas road traffic attributes more to PM 2.5 emissions. Highly connected urban form is likely to cause traffic congestion and trap pollution inside the street canyon, which accumulates higher PM 2.5 concentration. Computer simulation results also indicate that more compact cities improve urban air quality but are under the premise that mixed land use should be presented 18 . With more connected impervious surfaces, it is merely impossible to expect increasing urban green spaces. If compact urban development does not contribute to a rising proportion of green areas, then such a development does not help mitigating air pollution 41 .

Six cities illustrating negative to positive changes in CONTIG_MN and AREA_MN. Pixels in black show the urban areas in the year 2000 and pixels in red are the expanded urban areas from the year 2000 to 2014. Figure was produced by ArcGIS 10.7.1 85 .

Conclusions

This study explores the regional land-use patterns and air quality in a country with an extraordinarily heterogeneous urbanization pattern. Our study is the first of its kind in investigating such a wide range selection of cities ranging from small-sized ones to large metropolitan areas spanning a long time frame, to gain a comprehensive insight into the varying effects of urban form on air quality trends. And the primary insight yielded from this study is the validation of the hypothesis that the determinants of PM 2.5 level trends are not the same for cities at various developmental levels or in different geographic regions. Certain measures of urban form are robust predictors of air quality trends for a certain group of cities. Therefore, any planning strategy aimed at reducing air pollution should consider its current development status and based upon which, design its future plan. To this end, it is also important to emphasize the main shortcoming of this analysis, which is generally centered around the selection of control variables. This is largely constrained by the available information from the City Statistical Yearbook. It will be beneficial to further polish this study by including other important controlling factors, such as vehicle possession.

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Acknowledgements

Lu Liang received intramural research funding support from the UNT Office of Research and Innovation. Peng Gong is partially supported by the National Research Program of the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (2016YFA0600104), and donations from Delos Living LLC and the Cyrus Tang Foundation to Tsinghua University.

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Liang, L., Gong, P. Urban and air pollution: a multi-city study of long-term effects of urban landscape patterns on air quality trends. Sci Rep 10 , 18618 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-74524-9

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Published: 02 January 2020

Urbanization: a problem for the rich and the poor?

Md Abdul Kuddus 1 , 2 , 4 ,
Elizabeth Tynan 3 &
Emma McBryde 1 , 2

Public Health Reviews volume 41 , Article number: 1 ( 2020 ) Cite this article

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Urbanization has long been associated with human development and progress, but recent studies have shown that urban settings can also lead to significant inequalities and health problems. This paper is concerned with the adverse impact of urbanization on both developed and developing nations and both wealthy and poor populations within those nations, addressing issues associated with public health problems in urban areas. The discussion in this paper will be of interest to policy makers. The paper advocates policies that improve the socio-economic conditions of the urban poor and promote their better health. Further, this discussion encourages wealthy people and nations to become better informed about the challenges that may arise when urbanization occurs in their regions without the required social supports and infrastructure.

Urbanization refers to the mass movement of populations from rural to urban settings and the consequent physical changes to urban settings. In 2019, the United Nations estimated that more than half the world’s population (4.2 billion people) now live in urban area and by 2041, this figure will increase to 6 billion people [ 1 ].

Cities are known to play multifaceted functions in all societies. They are the heart of technological development and economic growth of many nations, while at the same time serving as a breeding ground for poverty, inequality, environmental hazards, and communicable diseases [ 2 ]. When large numbers of people congregate in cities, many problems result, particularly for the poor. For example, many rural migrants who settle in an urban slum area bring their families and their domesticated animals—both pets and livestock—with them. This influx of humans and animals leads to vulnerability of all migrants to circulating communicable diseases and the potential to establish an urban transmission cycle. Further, most urban poor live in slums that are unregulated, have congested conditions, are overcrowded, are positioned near open sewers, and restricted to geographically dangerous areas such as hillsides, riverbanks, and water basins subject to landslides, flooding, or industrial hazards. All of these factors lead to the spread of communicable and non-communicable diseases, pollution, poor nutrition, road traffic, and so on [ 3 , 4 , 5 ]. The problems faced by the poor spill over to other city dwellers. As the trend to urbanization continues, this spillover effect increases and takes on a global dimension as more and more of the world’s populations are affected [ 3 ].

Some of the major health problems resulting from urbanization include poor nutrition, pollution-related health conditions and communicable diseases, poor sanitation and housing conditions, and related health conditions. These have direct impacts on individual quality of life, while straining public health systems and resources [ 6 ].

Urbanization has a major negative impact on the nutritional health of poor populations. Because they have limited financial resources and the cost of food is higher in cities, the urban poor lack nutritious diets and this leads to illness, which contributes to loss of appetite and poor absorption of nutrients among those affected. Furthermore, environmental contamination also contributes to undernutrition; street food is often prepared in unhygienic conditions, leading to outbreaks of food-borne illnesses (e.g., botulism, salmonellosis, and shigellosis) [ 6 ]. Urban dwellers also suffer from overnutrition and obesity, a growing global public health problem. Obesity and other lifestyle conditions contribute to chronic diseases (such as cancers, diabetes, and heart diseases). Although obesity is most common among the wealthy, international agencies have noted the emergence of increased weight among the middle class and poor in recent years [ 7 ].

Populations in poor nations that suffer from protein-energy malnutrition [ 8 ] have increased susceptibility to infection [ 9 ] through the impact of micronutrient deficiency on immune system development and function [ 10 ]. Around 168 million children under 5 are estimated to be malnourished and 76% of these children live in Asia [ 11 ]. At the same time, the World Health Organization is concerned that there is an emerging pandemic of obesity in poor countries that leads to non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, hypertension, and stroke [ 12 ].

Obesity is caused by increased caloric intake and decreased physical activity [ 13 ], something historically associated with wealth. However, people in urbanized areas of developing countries are also now vulnerable to obesity due to lack of physical space, continually sitting in workplaces, and excessive energy intake and low energy expenditure. In these areas, infrastructure is often lacking, including sufficient space for recreational activities. Further, in developing countries, as in developed countries, large employers frequently place head offices in urban capitals and work is increasingly sedentary in nature [ 14 ]. Another culprit associated with the risk of developing obesity is the change in food intake that has led to the so-called nutrition transition (increased the consumption of animal-source foods, sugar, fats and oils, refined grains, and processed foods) in urban areas. For instance, in China, dietary patterns have changed concomitantly with urbanization in the past 30 years, leading to increased obesity [ 15 ]. In 2003, the World Health Organization estimated that more than 300 million adults were affected, the majority in developed and highly urbanized countries [ 16 ]. Since then, the prevalence of obesity has increased. For example, in Australia, around 28% of adults were obese in 2014–2015 [ 17 ].

Pollution is another major contributor to poor health in urban environments. For instance, the World Health Organization estimated that 6.5 million people died (11.6% of all global deaths) as a consequence of indoor and outdoor air pollution and nearly 90% of air-pollution-related deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries [ 18 ]. Poor nutrition and pollution both contribute to a third major challenge for urban populations: communicable diseases. The poor live in congested conditions, near open sewers and stagnant water, and are therefore constantly exposed to unhealthy waste [ 6 ]. Inadequate sanitation can lead to the transmission of helminths and other intestinal parasites. Pollution (e.g., from CO 2 emission) from congested urban areas contributes to localized and global climate change and direct health problems, such as respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer for both the rich and the poor.

In addition to human-to-human transmission, animals and insects serve as efficient vectors for diseases within urban settings and do not discriminate between the rich and poor. The prevalence and impact of communicable diseases in urban settings, such as tuberculosis (TB), malaria, cholera, dengue, and others, is well established and of global concern.

National and international researchers and policy makers have explored various strategies to address such problems, yet the problems remain. For example, research on solutions for megacities has been ongoing since the early 1990s [ 19 , 20 ]. These studies have concluded that pollution, unreliable electricity, and non-functioning infrastructure are priority initiatives; nevertheless, air pollution, quality of water in cities, congestion, disaster management issues, and infrastructure are not being systematically addressed [ 19 , 20 ].

The impact of inner city transportation on health, such as road traffic, is emerging as a serious problem. Statistics show that a minimum of 10 people die every day on the railways in the city of Mumbai, India [ 21 ]. Vietnam is another example of a country that has seen a remarkable increase in road traffic accidents [ 22 ]. Improvements to the country’s infrastructure have not been able to meet the increasing growth of vehicular and human traffic on the street. Vietnam reportedly has a population of 95 million and more than 18 million motorbikes on its roads. A deliberate policy is needed to reduce accidents [ 21 ].

Although urbanization has become an irreversible phenomenon, some have argued that to resolve the problems of the city, we must tackle the root causes of the problem, such as improving the socio-economic situation of the urban poor.

Until the conditions in rural areas improve, populations will continue to migrate to urban settings. Given the challenges that rural development poses, the root causes are unlikely to be addressed in the near future. Therefore, governments and development agencies should concentrate on adapting to the challenges of urbanization, while seeking to reduce unplanned urbanization.

Some examples of policies and practices that should be considered include (i) policies that consider whole-of-life journeys, incorporating accessible employment, community participation, mobility/migration and social transition, to break generational poverty cycles; (ii) policies addressing urban environmental issues, such as planned urban space and taxes on the use of vehicles to reduce use or to encourage vehicles that use less fuel as well as encourage bicycle use, walking, and other forms of human transportation; (iii) greater cooperative planning between rural and urban regions to improve food security (e.g., subsidies for farmers providing locally produced, unprocessed and low cost food to urban centers); (iv) social protection and universal health coverage to reduce wealth disparity among urban dwellers; including introduction of programs and services for health, for example by establishing primary healthcare clinics accessible and affordable for all including those living in urban slums [ 23 ].

Availability of data and materials

Not applicable

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the editor for his/her thoughtful comments and efforts towards improving the manuscript.

This work was conducted as a part of a PhD programme of the first authors and funded by the College of Medicine and Dentistry at the James Cook University, Australia (JCU-QLD-933347).

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Elizabeth Tynan

Department of Mathematics, University of Rajshahi, -6205, Rajshahi, Bangladesh

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Geospatial Analytics for Environmental Pollution Modeling pp 163–185 Cite as

Urban Areas and Air Pollution: Causes, Concerns, and Mitigation

Shivali Gupta 5 &
Rakesh Kumar ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4139-300X 5
First Online: 02 December 2023

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Urbanization has proven to be a catalyst for global economic growth. However, the concomitant progress in economic development has led to a degradation in air quality within urban settlements, primarily attributable to copious anthropogenic sources of pollutant emissions. Air pollution has numerous negative impacts on the well-being of humans and the environment. This includes the deleterious impacts on climate change as well as the emergence of serious cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. This chapter, therefore, discusses urban air pollution, encompassing the causal factors, associated concerns, and various strategies employed to mitigate its adverse effects. These strategies involve regulatory, technological, and behavioural responses, which are imperative to effectively address the issue of air pollution. Therefore, the examination of the complex interplay between urbanization across varying stages of development and air pollution is integral in attaining ambient air quality targets with respect to upcoming economic advancement and sustainable progression.

Anthropogenic Sources
Air pollution
Climate change
Human health
Sustainable development
Urbanization

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Gupta, S., Kumar, R. (2023). Urban Areas and Air Pollution: Causes, Concerns, and Mitigation. In: Mushtaq, F., Farooq, M., Mukherjee, A.B., Ghosh Nee Lala, M. (eds) Geospatial Analytics for Environmental Pollution Modeling. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-45300-7_7

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Essay on Pollution Due To Urbanisation

Essay on Pollution Due To Urbanisation: Urbanisation has brought about numerous benefits such as economic growth and improved infrastructure. However, it has also led to a significant increase in pollution levels in cities. This essay will explore the various forms of pollution that have arisen as a result of urbanisation, including air pollution from vehicle emissions and industrial activities, water pollution from sewage and waste disposal, and noise pollution from increased urban development. The impacts of this pollution on human health and the environment will also be discussed.

Pollution Due To Urbanisation Essay Writing Tips

1. Introduction: Start your essay by introducing the topic of pollution due to urbanization. Explain how rapid urbanization has led to an increase in pollution levels in cities.

2. Define urbanization: Define what urbanization is and how it has been a major trend in recent years. Explain how urbanization leads to the growth of cities and the expansion of urban areas.

3. Types of pollution: Discuss the different types of pollution that are commonly associated with urbanization, such as air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, and light pollution. Explain how each type of pollution is caused by urban development and population growth.

4. Causes of pollution due to urbanization: Explore the various factors that contribute to pollution in urban areas, such as industrial activities, transportation, construction, and waste disposal. Discuss how these activities release harmful pollutants into the environment and impact the health of residents.

5. Effects of pollution: Describe the negative effects of pollution on the environment, public health, and quality of life in urban areas. Discuss how pollution can lead to respiratory problems, water contamination, biodiversity loss, and climate change.

6. Solutions to pollution: Offer potential solutions to address pollution due to urbanization, such as implementing stricter environmental regulations, promoting sustainable urban planning, investing in green infrastructure, and encouraging public transportation. Discuss how these solutions can help reduce pollution levels and create healthier and more sustainable cities.

7. Conclusion: Summarize the key points of your essay and emphasize the importance of addressing pollution due to urbanization. Highlight the need for collective action and cooperation to combat pollution and create cleaner and more livable urban environments.

8. Additional tips: Make sure to use reliable sources and data to support your arguments, and cite them properly in your essay. Use clear and concise language, and organize your essay in a logical and coherent manner. Proofread your essay for any grammatical or spelling errors before submitting it.

Essay on Pollution Due To Urbanisation in 10 Lines – Examples

1. Urbanisation leads to increased pollution levels in cities due to the concentration of people, vehicles, and industries. 2. The rapid expansion of urban areas results in deforestation, which contributes to air pollution and loss of biodiversity. 3. Urbanisation leads to the generation of large amounts of waste, which can contaminate soil and water sources. 4. The construction of buildings and infrastructure in urban areas can lead to soil erosion and degradation. 5. Increased use of vehicles in cities results in higher levels of air pollution, including emissions of harmful gases and particulate matter. 6. Urbanisation can also lead to noise pollution, as a result of increased traffic and construction activities. 7. The lack of green spaces in urban areas can contribute to poor air quality and increased levels of pollution. 8. Urbanisation can also impact water quality, as runoff from roads and buildings can carry pollutants into rivers and lakes. 9. The concentration of industries in urban areas can result in the release of harmful chemicals and pollutants into the environment. 10. Overall, pollution due to urbanisation poses a significant threat to public health and the environment, highlighting the need for sustainable urban planning and development.

Sample Essay on Pollution Due To Urbanisation in 100-180 Words

Urbanisation has led to a significant increase in pollution levels in cities around the world. The rapid growth of urban areas has resulted in higher levels of air, water, and noise pollution. The increase in vehicles, industries, and construction activities has contributed to the degradation of the environment.

Air pollution is a major concern in urban areas, with emissions from vehicles and industries leading to high levels of harmful pollutants in the air. This has serious health implications for residents, leading to respiratory problems and other diseases.

Water pollution is also a significant issue, with urban runoff carrying pollutants into water bodies, contaminating them and affecting aquatic life. Noise pollution from traffic and construction activities can also have negative impacts on the health and well-being of residents.

Efforts must be made to address these issues through better urban planning, stricter regulations on emissions, and promoting sustainable practices in cities to mitigate the pollution caused by urbanisation.

Short Essay on Pollution Due To Urbanisation in 200-500 Words

Urbanization is the process of population migration from rural areas to urban areas, resulting in the growth of cities and towns. While urbanization has led to economic development and improved living standards for many people, it has also brought about a host of environmental problems, including pollution.

One of the most significant forms of pollution caused by urbanization is air pollution. The increase in vehicular traffic, industrial activities, and construction projects in urban areas has led to a rise in air pollution levels. Emissions from vehicles and factories release harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere, leading to smog and poor air quality. This can have serious health implications for residents, causing respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, and even premature death.

Water pollution is another major issue resulting from urbanization. As cities grow, the demand for water increases, leading to the over-extraction of water from rivers and groundwater sources. Industrial activities and improper waste disposal practices in urban areas also contribute to water pollution, as toxic chemicals and pollutants are discharged into rivers and lakes. This contamination of water sources not only affects aquatic life but also poses a threat to human health, as contaminated water can lead to waterborne diseases such as cholera and typhoid.

Urbanization also contributes to soil pollution, as urban areas generate large amounts of solid waste that often end up in landfills. Improper waste management practices, such as open dumping and burning of waste, can contaminate the soil with toxic substances and heavy metals. This can have long-term effects on soil fertility and agricultural productivity, as well as pose a risk to human health through the consumption of contaminated food crops.

Noise pollution is another consequence of urbanization, as the increased population density and traffic in urban areas lead to higher levels of noise from vehicles, construction activities, and commercial establishments. Chronic exposure to high levels of noise can have detrimental effects on human health, including hearing loss, sleep disturbances, and increased stress levels.

In conclusion, pollution due to urbanization is a serious environmental problem that requires urgent attention and action. Governments, urban planners, and residents must work together to implement sustainable development practices that minimize the environmental impact of urbanization. This includes investing in public transportation systems, promoting green building practices, and implementing strict regulations on industrial emissions and waste disposal. By taking proactive measures to address pollution in urban areas, we can create healthier and more sustainable cities for future generations.

Essay on Pollution Due To Urbanisation in 1000-1500 Words

Urbanization is the process by which rural areas are transformed into urban areas, leading to an increase in population, infrastructure, and economic development. While urbanization has many benefits, such as improved access to healthcare, education, and job opportunities, it also has negative consequences, one of which is pollution. Pollution due to urbanization is a major environmental issue that affects the health and well-being of both humans and the planet.

One of the main causes of pollution due to urbanization is the increase in industrial activities in urban areas. As more people move to cities in search of better job opportunities, industries are set up to meet the growing demand for goods and services. These industries release harmful pollutants into the air, water, and soil, leading to air pollution, water pollution, and soil contamination. The emissions from factories, vehicles, and power plants contribute to the deterioration of air quality, leading to respiratory problems, cardiovascular diseases, and other health issues.

In addition to industrial activities, urbanization also leads to an increase in vehicular traffic, which is a major source of air pollution in urban areas. As more people own cars and motorcycles, the emissions from these vehicles contribute to the formation of smog, particulate matter, and other pollutants that can harm human health. The exhaust fumes from vehicles contain harmful chemicals such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds, which can cause respiratory problems, lung cancer, and other health issues.

Another major source of pollution due to urbanization is the improper disposal of waste. As urban areas grow, the amount of waste generated also increases, leading to overflowing landfills, littered streets, and contaminated water bodies. The improper disposal of waste not only pollutes the environment but also poses a threat to human health. The decomposition of organic waste in landfills produces methane gas, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming. The leachate from landfills can also contaminate groundwater, leading to water pollution and the spread of waterborne diseases.

Moreover, urbanization also leads to deforestation and the destruction of natural habitats, which further contributes to pollution. As cities expand, forests are cleared to make way for residential and commercial developments, leading to the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Deforestation not only reduces the capacity of forests to absorb carbon dioxide and mitigate climate change but also leads to soil erosion, flooding, and the loss of wildlife habitats. The destruction of natural habitats also disrupts the balance of ecosystems, leading to the extinction of species and the loss of valuable resources.

In addition to environmental pollution, urbanization also leads to social and economic disparities that exacerbate the problem of pollution. As cities grow, the demand for housing, infrastructure, and services increases, leading to the displacement of marginalized communities and the degradation of urban slums. The lack of access to basic services such as clean water, sanitation, and healthcare in urban slums leads to poor living conditions and the spread of diseases. The unequal distribution of resources and opportunities in urban areas also leads to social unrest and conflicts, further exacerbating the problem of pollution.

To address the issue of pollution due to urbanization, it is important to implement sustainable urban planning and development strategies that promote environmental protection and public health. One way to reduce pollution in urban areas is to promote the use of clean and renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydropower. By investing in renewable energy infrastructure and promoting energy efficiency measures, cities can reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Another way to reduce pollution due to urbanization is to improve public transportation systems and promote the use of non-motorized modes of transport, such as walking and cycling. By investing in public transportation infrastructure, such as buses, trains, and bike lanes, cities can reduce vehicular traffic and air pollution, while promoting sustainable mobility and reducing carbon emissions. Encouraging the use of electric vehicles and promoting carpooling and ride-sharing services can also help reduce air pollution and congestion in urban areas.

Furthermore, it is important to promote waste management practices that reduce, reuse, and recycle waste in urban areas. By implementing waste segregation programs, composting facilities, and recycling centers, cities can reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills and incinerators, while promoting a circular economy that minimizes resource consumption and waste generation. By promoting sustainable consumption and production practices, cities can reduce their environmental footprint and promote a more sustainable and resilient urban environment.

In conclusion, pollution due to urbanization is a major environmental issue that affects the health and well-being of both humans and the planet. The increase in industrial activities, vehicular traffic, waste generation, and deforestation in urban areas leads to air pollution, water pollution, soil contamination, and the loss of biodiversity. To address the issue of pollution due to urbanization, it is important to implement sustainable urban planning and development strategies that promote environmental protection and public health. By promoting clean and renewable energy sources, improving public transportation systems, and promoting waste management practices, cities can reduce their environmental footprint and promote a more sustainable and resilient urban environment.

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Essay on Pollution due to Urbanisation | Essays for Class 7 PDF Download

Introduction, urbanisation & pollution.

While pollution on its own is a pressing problem for our world, pollution due to urbanisation is a huge problem. Adding to that, it is becoming a bigger and bigger problem as urbanisation is taking over even the smallest areas. Yes, development is something to applaud, but not when it goes to the extent of causing harm to or destroying the environment.

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Article Writing On Pollution Due To Urbanisation

This sample essay on Article Writing On Pollution Due To Urbanisation provides important aspects of the issue and arguments for and against as well as the needed facts. Read on this essay’s introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

It is evident that modern cities are featured by environmental degradation, worsening of water quality and shortages of sousing. This essay will focus on the air pollution and water pollution caused by arbitration. These harmful pollutants have serious negative effects on people’s health such as damage to people’s respiratory system.

Following this, it will put forward some feasible solutions to deal with these problems. The air quality in cities has become worse and worse along with the process of arbitration and people have been suffering from serious respiratory problems.

A typical example of this is the “smoking” phenomenon in Beijing where people need to wear a gauze mask to go outside. It is true that the irking offices or central business districts are located in the downtown area of the city and a large number of people crowded into the center of the city for work or for entertainment.

As a result, there is a huge population who take public transportation to travel to workplace and some wealthier five-to- nine workers choose to go for work by private cars. Therefore, the exhausted gas produced by these transportation tools is immeasurable, especially on the workdays.

Water Pollution Problems And Solutions Essay

This also causes a huge pollution difference between workday and weekend and this effect that less pollution is caused in the holiday period s called “Holiday Effect”.

Proficient in: Environmental Science

“ KarrieWrites did such a phenomenal job on this assignment! He completed it prior to its deadline and was thorough and informative. ”

Tan et al (2013) argues that pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, volatile organic compounds or non- methane hydrocarbon, sulfur dioxide, and PM 10 are measured to be higher on weekdays than on weekends. According to PhD Bert B and MD Stephen HTH (2002), the effect on shortening life expectancy has been evaluated at 1?2 years for realistic exposure contrasts.

In addition, there are an increase number of factories which have found their footprints in the rural areas because the air situation in cities has exceeded its bearing capacities. This is also due to the rapid pace of arbitration as factories in cities can no longer meet people?s needs. Consequently, the natural environment in rural areas is damaged and people can no longer enjoy the fresh air as they breathed two decades ago. Those pollutants made during arbitration has damaged people’s health and resulted in serious diseases (Forerunner ; Halted, 2002).

There are 32 more case-control studies that have shown an obvious relationship between air pollution, especially from traffic, and lung cancer. Another serious consequence caused by arbitration is water pollution. Some people who live in cities even have no access to drinkable water. It is calculated that three-fourths of US citizens live in cities. With the population in cities increasing at a faster face, it becomes more and more difficult to deal with the waste generated in cities.

Most of the waste is discharged or simply dumped into rives or lakes or even on the streets. The water pollutes has worsened the water quality greatly and made it unfit for people to use as daily water directly. As a result, it becomes much more difficult for city dwellers to obtain clean and drinkable water. It is true that many cities in undeveloped areas, especially in Africa, are unable to provide sufficient water supply for their citizens because most of water is lost in the pipe leakages.

It is a fact that most people who live in cities, especially in developing countries are forced to boil their water or buy expensive bottled water to drink simply because of the worsening water quality caused by arbitration. It is believed that people in developing countries suffer from poor water sanitation much more than those in developed countries because the speed of arbitration in developing countries moves faster than that of developed countries.

Chicanes (2005) pointed out that about 300 million people in China have no access to drink water, and it is a typical example that some people in villages are suffering from serious diseases due to unsafe drinking water. Moreover, urban areas are generally located in places where water sources are available. It is impossible to move forward the pace of arbitration without adequate access to fresh and dependable water; otherwise it cannot meet domestic and industrial needs.

The arbitration development in early periods relied on coastal waters to get food and foster transportation. This arbitration development patterns continue as more and more people who prefer to live in places adjacent to freshwater streams. As a consequence, it has negative impacts on local lakes, groundwater and coaster waters as well. The air pollution and water degradation caused by arbitration have posed severe threats to humans health, so it is necessary to carry out some feasible measures to deal with these problems.

It is the governments top priority to deal with these serious pollution problems. The government should take the responsibility to introduce some advanced technologies to address the increasingly worsening situation. As for the air pollution, some government- funded projects, such as the electric-transportation scheme, can be implemented to reduce the dependence on fossil fuel. The government can also impose taxes on private car using because cars can produce more pollutes than public transportation, such as bus or subway.

In this sense, the government can also invest more capital to improve the subway system and carry out some campaigns to encourage citizens to take public transportation rather than private cars or taxies- The government can also devote more funds to the factories in rural areas to improve the Infrastructure and acclivities so as to reduce emission of waste. J. M. Barraging Memorials et al (2005) argue that urban air pollution is indeed stratified, and that an appropriate way to study this stratification is by means of a categorization method.

This method aims to classify the street of the town based on their use as transportation routes. Their study utilized an easy and low-cost way to classify the street functions. For example, trucks that produce pollution can incredibly only be allowed to use on the streets outside of the central area. This way could reduce the pollution in the main area of cities immediately and effectively. On addressing the problems of water deteriorating, the government can invest more money to explore the renewable natural resources, such as solar energy and wind, to take place of the electricity to produce drinkable water.

More government-funded scientific researches should be reinforced to develop state-of-the-art technology to process exhausted water and underground water (Booth, 1991). Sewage water needs to be treated in a proper way and it should not be allowed to enter into water system. It is true that storm water, sewage and drinking water are mixed up, o it is significant to divert the used water apart from the clean drinking water or reuse them after properly processing. The local communities should also spare no efforts to deal with air pollution and water pollution because of arbitration.

These efforts might include clean-up or recycling campaigns to promote the citizens’ awareness to save water and take action to protect the air. Farmers need to be encouraged to build small farm ponds in the field as a way to store rainwater which can be used efficiently for agriculture. Knowledge on biodiversity and water-saving know-how should be spread to very citizen. There should be effective system when people report smoking vehicles to the local authority. As a result, citizens can take practical measures to relieve the serious situation of water and air contamination.

As the United Nations Environment Program states that one person alone cannot make any big change to the planet’s damaging biodiversity, each individual’s effort to promote the nature’s wealth and build a livable environment. For every individual’s part, they can organize the car-pooling or van-pooling projects to get to work instead of taking taxi to the workplace alone. They can choose owe-polluting models of vehicles to go for work. Each citizen can also strive to change their eating and consumption habits.

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Pollution due to urbanization, english essay, paragraph, speech for class 9, 10, 12 in 300 words., pollution due to urbanization.

Urbanization refers to the process of increasing the population and development of cities. It is a key aspect of modern society and has many benefits, including economic growth and access to education and healthcare. However, it also has a dark side, as it can lead to environmental pollution.

One of the main sources of pollution due to urbanization is the increased amount of transportation. As cities grow, there are more cars on the road, leading to increased air pollution. This pollution can have serious health effects, particularly for those who live in urban areas and are exposed to it on a daily basis.

Another source of pollution in urban areas is the waste produced by a growing population. As cities become more densely populated, there is more waste generated, which can lead to land and water pollution if it is not properly managed.

Urbanization can also lead to the destruction of natural habitats, as land is developed to accommodate the needs of a growing population. This can lead to the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem degradation.

There are ways to mitigate the negative impacts of urbanization on the environment. One approach is to promote sustainable development, which takes into account the needs of both the environment and the growing population. This can involve the use of green technologies, such as renewable energy sources, and the implementation of policies that encourage the reduction of waste and the use of public transportation.

In conclusion, urbanization has many benefits, but it can also lead to pollution and environmental degradation if it is not properly managed. It is important for governments and individuals to take steps to reduce the negative impacts of urbanization and promote sustainable development.

Essay on Pollution Crisis in Urban Areas

August 29, 2021 by Sandeep

The presence of poisonous, contaminating substances in the environment around us creates havoc to the dwelling space and introduces harmful and non-biodegradable substances. These harmful chemical-laden toxic elements cause ‘pollution.’ Below, we have provided pollution crisis in urban areas essay, suitable for aspirants preparing for competitive exams.

Urbanisation and Pollution

Man and his ways have polluted the environment around us; it’s a phenomenon prevailing since many millions of years and has reached alarming levels today. The concern in the urban areas is more severe because the greenery belt in the metros cities is severely low, and pollution levels are very high. There is no control on pollution and no scientific checks that can solidly create a lasting impact to decrease pollution levels.

Urban areas have a higher density of vehicles, more emissions from factories and industries, a higher rate of food adulteration, etc. This has caused an overall rise in the average temperatures, created a way for global warming. Due to this, people are suffering from deadly diseases, like cancer and asthma, acid rains are becoming more common. Air, water, land pollution is fully contaminating the environment around us severely.

Burning of Farm Residues

Whenever we take a long drive towards the out suits of any city, we can find thick and thin piles of smoke swelling up from small or big farmlands. It could be paddy straws that are being burnt or any other agricultural leftovers. They cause major reasons for pollution . They can be detrimental to our health too. They have very high small micro-level particles that can choke our lungs and trouble the respiratory system. The concentration of these fine particles in the residue burning would be so high that the smoke can enter the nearby, immediate urban landscape and cause huge damage to the lungs.

Very high levels of toxic elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, etc., are found in this kind of smoke emitting residue burning. The levels of potassium and sulphur can act upon the neighbouring lands and destroy the top layers of the soil. Thus even fertile lands can become barren and unfit for cultivation. This issue could be circled under the group of soil pollution.

The Air Act of 1981 considers burning crops and farm residues an unacceptable and punishable act and can be tried under a judicial lens. But strict enforcement of laws by authorities at the grassroots level is almost absent, making it easy for farmers to continue with their unscientific acts. A simple remedy to this burning issue could be to find alternate rises of farm residues to avoid burning them.

Indian Transportation of Pollution

As chocolates are to children, so is motor pollution to vehicles plying on Indian roads, especially city and urban areas. The environment is degraded by pollutants emitted out from the fumes of exhausts fitted to vehicles. They have ill effects on plant life, animal life and destroy the delicate balance present in the ecosystem. The motor or vehicular pollutants include carbon monoxide, toxic nitrogen oxide, ammonia, high hydrogen, and sulphur dioxide levels. Economic liberation in urban areas has made people more outgoing in their choices of vehicles.

A small family of four now has all four members having four different vehicles to use. It is not about necessity; it is a question of luxury. So the amount of pollution previously caused by a family vehicle has proportionately increased to nearly four-fold. The term ‘car pollution’ is commonly used in urban areas for obvious reasons. The greenhouse emissions can cause a lot of destruction to our atmosphere.

Petrol and diesel, when burnt, release harmful by-products into the environment. The smoke released from cars contains a huge list of pollutants. Particulate matter can choke our lungs and lead to deadly diseases like cancer. The fuel that silently escapes fuel tanks in vehicles is very toxic. They can silently deplete the protective layers of the atmosphere and add to the greenhouse effect.

Better Management of Resources

The primary and most prominent form of pollution in urban areas that reduces the green belt and improves specific contamination is air pollution . We cannot just blame vehicles for pollution. In our day-to-day lives, we depend on plastic items for almost every other need.

We have plastic toothbrushes, plastic mugs, plastic pens, etc. Our whole life revolves around plastic usage! Plastic, after being thrown, does not decay and can cause major health hazards that can’t be cured. Every year along big seashores, we find whales falling dead on the shore with a stomach filled with tons of plastic. So plastic is not a good choice, and we can replace it with other alternatives.

When we step outside our rooms, we forget to turn off lights and fans, leading to energy wastage. Every house, be it in urban or rural background, churns out piles of waste from their homes every day. A scientific way of waste disposal could end soil pollution and attract better ways of handling and treating waste and disposed of resources.

Paper can be recycled, but plastic cannot be recycled. So we can replace our plastic bags and use paper bags in their place. We have to ensure the safe disposal of paints, varnishes, worn-out batteries. Not disposing of them could pollute the air in the immediate environment/neighbourhood and cause further pollution.

Pollution and Loss to National Income

As we begin to put more things into our wardrobe, we should also consciously understand that we are adding to the heap of pollutants around us. When we don’t recycle items and litter our places, we congest our environment and degrade the quality of life. We cause pollution to the air and water sources. Industrial pollution adds debris and creates more havoc than we think. For every such pollution activity, there are associated costs that escalate now and then.

The costs associated with pollution are not directly assessed when a country’s GDP is taken into account. Yet, if we go by relative figures, we can see the same reflected in our national income. Take a simple example: every tourist who visited the sacred Ganges at Varanasi polluted or contributed to pollution. It could be plastic wastes or contaminating water sources.

When all this piled up and was no longer tolerable, the action was essential, and thus it took thousands of crores to clean up the river. This comes from the taxpayer’s money. With every such source of pollution at various other points, national income is seriously affected by pollution factors. Environmental woes add to the problem of pollution plus eat up into the taxpayer’s money since huge sums of relief funds need to be necessitated for welfare activities. Citizens charters have risen to bring about awareness, and we as responsible citizens should stop tolerating this menace.

International Reputation

Pollution, filth, and dirt are common sights when we visit public places in urban areas. Be its railway stations, airports, or bus stands, awareness and consciousness regarding cleanliness are less. When international delegates visit our country to explore business possibilities, they fight for space and greenery in a contaminated and germ-laden atmosphere. So, often the name we achieve in an international scene gets clutched and results in poor remarks in international arenas due to pollution and environmental degradation.

Threat of Diseases

Paying a casual visit to a nearby slum area will give you glaring images of filth, uncleared garbage, poor sanitation facilities, and above all, the spring of diseases and the thriving of life risky viruses and bacteria. Pollution can cause many deadly diseases to both humans and animals. Bronchitis and asthma are becoming common ailments in cities. Not just the older people, even younger generations are falling prey to it.

Smoking is a very normal activity in public places in cities. Smoking can cause cancer of the lungs. The onset of respiratory disease is mainly due to high levels of pollution in cities. Water-borne contaminants can easily cause cholera and diphtheria. Dysentery is a common problem in children when accidentally fed with polluted water. The sewage water mixed with good, potable water can cause mutations to genes and alter the specific creation of progeny in human beings.

Not just that, the high levels of adulterants and toxic minerals and chemicals present in the food we eat can cause gastrointestinal disorders and give way to incurable diseases. Mutations causing cancer are one of the most common things we get to hear, and the loss of lives due to pollution is undoubtedly on a steady rise.

WHO Reports

Some of the recent reports cited, formulated, and land out to the Indian public have shortlisted cities with very high pollution levels and threaten the people living there. Gwalior is one of those prominent cities where levels of air pollution are just unacceptable. The WHO also prescribes safety levels and permissible levels of air pollution. Cities like Delhi are much higher than these permissible levels. The cause of such high levels of toxic pollution can be attributed to a rich concentration of particulate matter.

The Kashmir region and neighbouring Himalayan states are also slowly creeping into the list, given their shift from slow pollution to high contamination levels in air matter. Global reports published by WHO every year collect research data from nearly thousands of Indian cities, say around 3000 and more, and then come up with the final list of most polluted cities. The Indian government has also set up committees to act upon this data and monitor pollution.

Ranking of Indian Cities

It is strange to find many Indian cities making their way into the world’s most polluted cities. The numbers are not just ones or twos; they have a major share in terms of pollution. Gwalior leads the list, followed by Allahabad, Patna, and Raipur. Delhi comes a close next. The power plants and industries in these cities contribute maximum to pollution.

All three categories of pollution – air, water, and land were taken into account while listing cities for pollution. Severe health issues and more effective laws to curb pollution in these cities are called for to enforce norms. Environmental degradation and the eruption of health hazards are some of the other threats and risks that can be expected due to pollution.

Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization

Pollution is one of the biggest issues that we as a society face today. The everyday deteriorating environment is a big challenge for humans. The mixing of any harmful substance or pollutants in our natural environment is called pollution. It is due to human activity, many contaminators get introduced in the natural environment thereby polluting it to harmful levels. There are many reasons why pollution occurs and one of the major one is urbanization.

Long and Short Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization in English

Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization – Essay 1 (200 words)

Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization in India – Essay 2 (300 words)

Introduction

There are Various Levels at which Urban Pollution is happening like:

Types and Causes of Urban Pollution

Air Pollution: The air in the urban areas is always polluted with harmful substances and it is becoming hazardous day by day to breathe. The air in the cities is choking. The smoke from automobiles, factories and power generators make the air unhealthy. There are other factors also like chemical spills and other toxic gases that contaminate the air.
Water Pollution: As it is there are very less natural water sources in the urban areas and the ones that are there are getting increasingly polluted. There is a lot of disposal in the lakes and rivers like household & industrial disposal. A lot of waste gets mixed with rain and washed into the waters .
Soil Pollution: The mixing of toxins in the soil is disturbing the eco-system.
Noise Pollution: Urban areas are one of the noisiest ones. Various sources of noise pollution include traffic noises, loud-speakers and other unwanted noises cause many health issues .
Radioactive Pollution: The accidental leakage by nuclear power plants poses a big threat.
Visual Pollution: The over exposure of visuals in the cities in the form of signs, billboards, screens, high intensity lights etc. are also quite disturbing .
Other than these there is also ‘Thermal pollution’ that is caused by excessive amount of heat trapped in earth’s atmosphere.

Conclusion:

The various means of pollution in urban areas can lead to many health issues in the people living in cities. We are everyday exposed to more than one of these health issues sources.

Essay about Problems Due To Urbanization – Essay 3 (400 words)

Problems Due to Urbanization

Essay on Pollution Caused by Urbanization and Its Solutions – Essay 4 (500 words)

Pollution Caused by Urbanization

There is a Number of Solutions that we can apply and create a Better Tomorrow.

Solutions and Prevention of Urban Pollution

Conserve Energy: The urban area’s people always use more energy than the rural area’s people. The consumption of energy causes various kinds of pollution. Saving energy wherever possible is one of the best ways to curb pollution. Turn off the electrical appliances when they are not being used. This small step can help in a big way.
Use less water: We waste a lot of water daily and this can lead to bad consequences. We must try and use as less water as possible .
Plant more trees: The urban areas are the ones that have less greeneries. Try to plant many trees and vegetation as much as possible in your surrounding areas. Kitchen garden and small lawn near home is a good idea .
Green belts: Government can help and declare some areas in every city as green belts so that trees and other plants can be grown there without any obstruction .
Use less loudspeakers: The minimum use of loud speakers can reduce the noise pollution a lot. Decreasing the volume of music at functions after a certain time is also a good move.
Indoors: The indoors of the homes are also highly polluted in cities. We must have some plants inside the homes also, that can filter the indoor polluted air.
Industrial waste: The factory owners must try and make possible that industrial waste is not dumped in the lakes or rivers. Government can also make laws for the same.
Say no to plastic: Plastic is one of the most harmful substances that can pollute air, water and soil all together. We must try and minimize the use of plastic as much as possible. Use just cloth bags instead of plastic.
Use Public transport: Avoid using cars and bikes for daily use. Try to use public transport, bicycle and car pools. This will not only curb air pollution but will also decrease the traffic on roads.
Walk: Try to go to nearby areas on foot i.e. walking, this will reduce pollution and will also improve your health .
Better garbage disposal: Use the structural methods of garbage disposal in cities.

Essay on Pollution Due To Urbanization and Digital India – Essay 5 (600 words)

Digital India and Environmental Importance

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Pollution Due to Urbanization Essay

Pollution Due to Urbanization Essay :- In the recent past few years, rural population is increasingly migrating to the cities, as they are also attracted by the comfortable lifestyle like the urban people. Urbanization has become one of the most important issues which has brought many dire consequences in most of the countries.

Essay 1 (300 words)

Introduction.

Gone are the days when children roamed the streets freely and birds flew in the sky. Such a beautiful sight is rarely seen nowadays. We ourselves are responsible for this. India was a country of villages; Our culture was born in the villages itself. But we have polluted the whole earth due to factories, mills and urbanization.

Increase in pollution due to urbanization and industrialization

One of the main causes of human pollution is urbanization. When humans started setting up cities and started setting up industries, pollution had started starting from then. The harsh reality of urbanization is that many beautiful valleys, mountains, hill stations and forests have turned into a heap of pollution.

The needs of human beings are increasing day by day and to fulfill those needs, we have exploited our mother earth a lot. Deforestation, contamination of rivers and lakes and misuse of natural reserves are the major consequences of urbanization and industrialization.

River – most affected

Due to rapid urbanization and industrialization, the impact of pollution on rivers has increased in the last few years. Availability of water for irrigation, drinking, industrial use, electricity etc. has become a challenge. The discharge of untreated wastewater from riverside cities is a major source of pollution load in rivers.

Today the result is that we live in highly polluted cities, where day by day life is changing rapidly. We face many health issues due to this urban pollution and the worst part is that we do not even realize it. This is the right time, there is a need to adopt ways to curb this pollution and make a better world for our coming generations.

Urbanization and Pollution – Essay 2 (400 words)

“This dangerous poison of pollution is putting an eclipse on the environment.

Pollution is the biggest concern of today’s time. The lifestyle of cities has added to this even more. As we are moving ahead on the path of modernity, we are polluting our mother earth. What is the use of such materialistic opulence, which is taking us closer to death.

Urbanization and pollution

The presence of toxic and contaminants in our surroundings is wreaking havoc on our habitat and introducing harmful non-biodegradable substances.

These harmful chemical toxic elements cause ‘pollution’. Man and his undesirable ways have polluted the environment around us, this has been going on for many years and has reached dangerous levels today.

worse in cities

The concern is more serious in urban areas as the green cover in metros is very less and the pollution level is very high. There is virtually no control over pollution and no scientific investigation has been developed yet, which can have a permanent effect to bring down the pollution level.

vehicle network

In urban areas, the density of vehicles is high, the smoke emitted from the vehicles is very dangerous and invites many diseases. Due to this people are suffering from deadly diseases like cancer, asthma etc. Air, water and land pollution is completely contaminating the environment around us.

As a result of industrialization

Chemicals released from factories, such as potassium and sulfur levels, have a negative effect on the soil and can destroy the top layers of the soil. Thus even fertile land may become barren and unfit for cultivation. It is one of the major causes of soil pollution.

Urbanization – the main cause of noise pollution

Urban dwellers often have to deal with harmful levels of noise and air pollution every day. As a result the quality of life is getting reduced, and it is causing long term harm to our lives. Urbanization and climate change are likely to increase pollution further in the coming years.

Pollution is injurious to our health. Due to air pollution, there are very fine levels of particulates present in the air which can choke our lungs and harm the respiratory system.

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Essay On Pollution Due To Urbanization In 500+ Words Step by Step

Essay On Pollution Due To Urbanization

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Essay On Pollution Due To Urbanization | Pollution Due to Urbanization Essay

Introduction.

Pollution due to Urbanization becomes increases day by day. because in industrialized cities pollution is a major problem. it may be caused by the industries or by the excessive movement of vehicles.

Today we consider urbanization as a symbol of development, but due to urbanization, our environment suffers a lot of damage.

The Urbanization words come from the Latin word “Urbs”, which means “City” . The term urbanization means the Lifestyle that is common in a city becomes prevalent. This can happen in two different ways:

Through the growth of cities; called physical Urbanization and Through the change of behavior of people living in rural areas; called Functional urbanization.

Urbanization refers to the concept of a rural area becoming developed as factories, good roads, good schools, etc . are build there.

“Act seriously over all the solution to pollution. Think about future generations and reduce pollution.”

Body (Essay On Pollution Due To Urbanization)

If we talk about the problems of urbanization , then environmental problems become very important. The biggest problem of urbanization is pollution. People are getting serious diseases due to pollution and millions of people are also dying from it.

According to the United Nations Report , currently, half of the world’s population is living in cities. By the year 2050 , half of the population of India will start living in cities and metro cities.

Then it’s obvious that an increase in population will responsible for more Industrial Development in urban areas and as a result, pollution will increase, which level has been increasing over the years.

Cities are turning into heat Island due to concrete roads and buildings. The sacrifice of green areas for the development of cities is promoting global warming. Which is also a warning for very serious problems coming in the future.

Due to the sheets of road-laid concrete in the cities , on one hand, groundwater recycling is being affected, on the other hand, the cities are getting flooded due to unplanned urbanization and drainage system . Due to this, problems of drinking water are also increasing.

We achieved a big step when we urbanized our villages but it came with a price, we certainly have a luxurious and comfortable life in modern cities and towns, but due to this there is a big hole in the health of our environment.

This has brought with us many problems that we face. developing cities saw a boom and this urbanization brought with it a web of difficulties and we are getting entangled in them.

There is various pollution that is due to urbanization such as air pollution, noise pollution, water pollution, Thermal Pollution, global warming, deforestation, etc .

It is high time that we should adopt the means by which we can improve the health of the environment . There are a number of solutions that we can implement and create a better tomorrow.

In the present scenario, pollution is becoming a serious challenge where breathing in the air is similar to poison. Areas of the Delhi NCR occupy an average severe category in the air quality index . where even a healthy person can become ill by breathing.

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There are many types of Pollution due to Urbanization:-

Soil pollution, water pollution, noise pollution.

Air Pollution etc.

Due to overpopulation in the urban areas, the amount of garbage, plastic, non-biodegradable dustbin, etc, become increased and due to the establishment of factories, the number of trees also decreased which is the main cause of soil erosion as well as pollution due to urbanization.

Excessive use of water especially in urban areas by people as well as factories is also responsible for water pollution . because we do not have enough resources to stop the dirty water from getting into the river. So, dirty water mixed with the river makes it even more polluted, so that the creatures living in the water have to face difficulties.

The number of vehicles, Industries, construction, parties, functions, etc becomes increased in the urban areas is the main reason for noise pollution due to urbanization .

Air Pollution

Due to increasing the population in urban areas the number of vehicles, industries, etc also increases. So, the air quality becomes decreased continuously is also the cause of air pollution due to urbanization.

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Conclusion ( Essay On Pollution Due To Urbanization)

Pollution levels began to rise when humans started establishing cities and industrialization took place.

The harsh reality of urbanization is that many beautiful valleys, mountains, hill stations, and forests become polluted due to an increase in human activity.

Overall, Systematical urbanization is good for developing countries, by this, we can able to reduce “ pollution due to urbanization”.

If You have any queries about “ Essay On Pollution Due To Urbanization In 500+ Words “. So, please mention it in the comment sections.

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Pollution due to Urbanization. (Essay Sample)

Urbanization is the process of increasing the concentration of people and activities in urban areas and the conversion of rural land to urban land. With increased urbanization, the number of cars on the roads has grown, leading to increased air pollution and traffic congestion. Industrialization has also resulted in more air pollution, and urbanization has caused the destruction of natural habitats, resulting in the loss of biodiversity. Urban development has also caused soil degradation, water pollution, and the release of hazardous chemicals into the environment. Urban areas tend to be warmer than rural areas due to the urban heat island effect, which is caused by the increased amount of concrete and asphalt in urban areas. This warming effect can also lead to increased air pollution, as warmer air can hold more pollutants. Additionally, many urban areas lack green spaces, which can reduce air pollution and reduce the urban heat island effect. Urbanization can also lead to increased water pollution, as runoff from streets and buildings can carry pollutants into nearby waterways. Urban runoff can also lead to changes in the water quality of rivers and lakes, as the runoff often carries pollutants such as oil, fertilizers, and other chemicals. Urbanization can also lead to increased noise pollution from traffic and construction. Additionally, urban areas often have

Pollution due to Urbanization. Urbanization is the process of a population shift from rural to urban areas. As cities become more populous and businesses grow, pollution increases due to the increased use of vehicles, factories, and construction. Air pollution is one of the most serious environmental issues facing urban communities today. The burning of fossil fuels for transportation, electricity, and industrial processes produces emissions that contain nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, and other hazardous substances. These pollutants can accumulate in the air and cause respiratory and other health problems. Water pollution is also a major concern in urban areas. Runoff from agricultural, industrial, and urban activities carries pollutants such as sediment, nutrients, and toxic substances into waterways, leading to eutrophication, decreased oxygen levels, and fish kills. In addition, improperly treated sewage can contaminate drinking water supplies, leading to illnesses such as cholera and dysentery. Urbanization also has an effect on l

Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization

Hello, students today we have come up with an essay on Pollution due to Urbanization. In this essay we have given information about pollution caused due to urbanization. So let us start with the essay.

Pollution due to Urbanization Essay

Urbanization is the process by which more and more people move from rural areas to urban centers, resulting in the growth and development of cities. This process has numerous benefits, such as increased access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. However, it also has significant negative consequences, one of which is pollution.

In conclusion, urbanization can lead to pollution, which has negative consequences for the environment and human health. To address this issue, it is necessary to adopt sustainable development practices and educate the public about the importance of protecting the environment.

Students, what are your thoughts on pollution caused by urbanization? Do tell us in the comment section below.

This essay can be used by students of classes 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th for their educational purposes.

Students, we hope this essay was helpful to you and if you need an essay any other topic then do tell us in the comment section below.

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Pollution Due to Urbanization Essay

Pollution Due to Urbanization Essay In English - 1200 in words

In the recent past few years, rural population is increasingly migrating to the cities, as they are also attracted by the comfortable lifestyle like the urban people. Urbanization has become one of the most important issues which has brought many dire consequences in most of the countries.

Short and Long Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanization in English

Increase in pollution due to urbanization - essay 1 (300 words).

introduction

Increase in pollution due to urbanization and industrialization

River - most affected

Urbanization and Pollution - Essay 2 (400 words)

“This dangerous poison of pollution is putting an eclipse on the environment . ,

Pollution is the biggest concern of today's time. The lifestyle of cities has added to this even more. As we are moving ahead on the path of modernity, we are polluting our mother earth. What is the use of such materialistic opulence, which is taking us closer to death.

urbanization and pollution

The presence of toxic and contaminants in our surroundings is wreaking havoc on our habitat and introducing harmful non-biodegradable substances.

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These harmful chemical toxic elements cause 'pollution'. Humans and their undesirable ways have polluted the environment around us, this has been going on for many years and has reached an alarming level today.

worse in cities

vehicle network

as a result of industrialization

Urbanization - the main cause of noise pollution

Pollution is injurious to our health. Due to air pollution, there are very fine levels of particulates present in the air which can choke our lungs and harm the respiratory system.

Pollution Due to Urbanization - Essay 3 (500 words)

“The problem of pollution is like a termite, which is slowly making the environment hollow.”

Our Mother Earth is suffocating and we are helpless. We are facing many challenges today and one of them is pollution. When any contaminant is mixed in our environment, it is called pollution.

Pollution pollutes our natural resources the most. Human beings are most to blame for pollution. Our activities have destroyed our natural resources and our natural habitat. Urbanization also plays a leading role in the major causes of pollution.

pollution caused by urbanization

air pollution:

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The air in urban areas is always polluted with harmful substances and it is becoming dangerous day by day to breathe. Smoke from automobiles, factories and power generators makes the air unhealthy. There are other factors as well, such as chemical distribution and other toxic gases that contaminate the air.

Water Pollution:

Water sources in urban areas are becoming increasingly polluted. Much of the domestic and industrial waste is dumped into lakes and rivers. Also a lot of garbage gets mixed in the rain and gets washed away in the water.

Soil Pollution:

Soil pollution is caused by the mixing of toxins in the soil. It is very harmful for us. Because the trees, plants and grains that we all eat, they all grow on this soil. All of them are also getting toxic due to soil pollution.

Noise Pollution:

Various sources of noise pollution include traffic noise, loud-speakers and other unwanted noises, which cause many health issues.

Loud music, television, people talking on the phone, traffic and even pets make them bark in the middle of the night. All these have become a part of urban culture and add to the noise pollution.

Radioactive Pollution:

Accidental leakage by nuclear power plants poses a major threat. Radioactive pollution occurs when there is the presence or accumulation of radioactive substances in the atmosphere or atmosphere, especially where their presence is accidental and when it poses an environmental hazard due to radioactive decay.

The destruction caused by radioactive substances is caused by the emission of dangerous ionizing radiation (radioactive decay) such as beta or alpha particles, gamma rays, or neurons in the atmosphere.

Thermal Pollution :

In today's world, thermal pollution is a huge threat and is mainly affected by power plants and industrial manufacturers, which use water as a coolant. Generally, this occurs when people or industries cause a sudden decrease or increase in the temperature of natural water bodies, which may include lakes, rivers, oceans or ponds.

Various means of pollution in urban areas can lead to many health issues among the people living in cities. We have tampered with nature a lot for our comfort, due to which we humans have to bear the brunt, and will have to bear further.

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Pollution Due to Urbanization Essay In English

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March 28, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

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Direct and indirect consumption activities drive urban-rural inequalities in air pollution-related mortality in China

by Science China Press

Direct and indirect consumption activities drive distinct urban-rural inequalities in air pollution-related mortality in China

Household consumption in China is associated with substantial PM 2.5 pollution through activities directly (i.e., fuel use) and/or indirectly (i.e., consumption of goods and services) causing pollutant emissions. Urban and rural households exhibit different consumption preferences and living areas; thus, their contributions to and suffering from air pollution could differ.

Assessing this contrast is crucial for comprehending the environmental impacts of the nation's ongoing urbanization process. Here, researchers quantify Chinese urban and rural households' contributions to ambient PM 2.5 pollution and the health risks they suffer from by integrating economic, atmospheric, and health models and/or datasets.

The national premature deaths related to long-term exposure to PM 2.5 pollution contributed by total household consumption is estimated to be 1.1 million cases in 2015, among which 56% are urban households, and 44% are rural households. For pollution contributed indirectly, urban households, especially in developed provinces, tend to bear lower mortality risks compared with the portions of deaths or pollution they contribute. The opposite results are true for direct pollution.

With China's rapid urbanization process, the increased indirect pollution-associated premature deaths could largely offset that avoided by reduced direct pollution, and the indirect pollution-associated urban-rural inequalities might become severe. Developing pollution mitigation strategies from both the production and consumption sides could help with reducing pollution-related mortality and associated urban-rural inequality.

The work is published in the journal Science Bulletin .

Provided by Science China Press

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Essay on Pollution due to Urbanisation for Students and Children in
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Pollution Due to Urbanisation Essay for Students in English
Here are two essays on pollution due to urbanisation of 400-500 words and 100-200 words, respectively. We will discuss the importance of urbanisation for countries, and how urbanisation is polluting the world. Long Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation. Urbanisation is a great concept which is required to develop any country.
Essay on Pollution due to Urbanisation for Students and Children in
Read below to find two essays about pollution due to urbanisation. The first essay is a long essay of 500 words, and the second is a short essay of 200 words. The former is suitable for class 7-10 students as well as for those aspiring for competitive exams. The latter essay is ideal for kids of class 6 and below.
Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation
In this essay on pollution due to urbanisation, we will see how urbanisation is a major threat to the environment. The air in cities has become toxic due to the harmful gases and smoke given out by automobiles and factories. Besides, household and industrial wastes are dumped into the water bodies, thus making them unsafe for consumption and use.
Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization in English
Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization: Pollution is one of the biggest issues that we as a society face today. The everyday deteriorating environment is a big challenge for humans. The mixing of any harmful substance or pollutants in our natural environment is called pollution. It is due to human activity, many contaminators get introduced ...
Urbanization: an increasing source of multiple pollutants to rivers in
Most of the global population will live in urban areas in the 21st century. We study impacts of urbanization on future river pollution taking a multi-pollutant approach. We quantify combined point ...
Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation
Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation. Urbanization refers to the process of increasing population and industrialization in urban areas. As cities continue to grow and expand, pollution caused by urbanization has become a significant environmental concern. Urbanization leads to increased pollution in many forms, including air pollution, water ...
Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation
500 Words Essay on Pollution Due to Urbanisation Introduction. Urbanisation, the process of transforming rural areas into urban spaces, has been a double-edged sword for humanity. On one hand, it has brought about economic growth, social development, and technological advancements. On the other hand, it has led to an unprecedented increase in ...
Urbanization and Global Health: The Role of Air Pollution
Life expectancy at birth was estimated at 64.93 year, with female life expectancy being 62.95 year, which was lower than the male life expectancy of 67.20 year. The mean urbanization level was 46.26%. Air pollution intensity was 7.37 KT of CO2 equivalent per hundred billion dollars GDP.
Urban and air pollution: a multi-city study of long-term ...
Most air pollution research has focused on assessing the urban landscape effects of pollutants in megacities, little is known about their associations in small- to mid-sized cities. Considering ...
Urbanization: a problem for the rich and the poor?
Pollution is another major contributor to poor health in urban environments. For instance, the World Health Organization estimated that 6.5 million people died (11.6% of all global deaths) as a consequence of indoor and outdoor air pollution and nearly 90% of air-pollution-related deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries . Poor ...
Urban Areas and Air Pollution: Causes, Concerns, and Mitigation
Urban air pollution impacts the urban poor more than the general population due to their greater susceptibility to diseases, as their health is below average, their housing quality is low, they lack knowledge about pollution, and they have less awareness of indoor pollution due to fuel burning for heating and cooking purposes, as is the case ...
PDF Argumentative Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization
One of the most visible and alarming consequences of urbanization is air pollution. The concentration of industries, transportation, and residential areas in cities has led to increased emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere. Increased Trafic Emissions: The growing number of vehicles in urban areas is a major source of air pollution.
Essay on Pollution Due To Urbanisation
Pollution Due To Urbanisation Essay Writing Tips. 1. Introduction: Start your essay by introducing the topic of pollution due to urbanization. Explain how rapid urbanization has led to an increase in pollution levels in cities. 2. Define urbanization: Define what urbanization is and how it has been a major trend in recent years.
Essay on Pollution due to Urbanisation
Introduction of Essay on Pollution due to Urbanisation in English is available as part of our Essays for Class 7 for Class 7 & Essay on Pollution due to Urbanisation in Hindi for Essays for Class 7 course. Download more important topics related with notes, lectures and mock test series for Class 7 Exam by signing up for free.
Article Writing On Pollution Due To Urbanisation
918. This sample essay on Article Writing On Pollution Due To Urbanisation provides important aspects of the issue and arguments for and against as well as the needed facts. Read on this essay's introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. It is evident that modern cities are featured by environmental degradation, worsening of water quality ...
Pollution due to Urbanization, English Essay, Paragraph, Speech for
Pollution due to Urbanization. Urbanization refers to the process of increasing the population and development of cities. It is a key aspect of modern society and has many benefits, including economic growth and access to education and healthcare. However, it also has a dark side, as it can lead to environmental pollution.
Essay on Pollution Crisis in Urban Areas
Essay on Pollution Crisis in Urban Areas. August 29, 2021 by Sandeep. The presence of poisonous, contaminating substances in the environment around us creates havoc to the dwelling space and introduces harmful and non-biodegradable substances. These harmful chemical-laden toxic elements cause 'pollution.'.
Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization
Problems Due to Urbanization. The need of free space to build roads, buildings and bridges etc made a massive deforestation happen. The trees were cut down, the fields were cleared and space was created to accommodate the ever rising population. It is a no-brainer that cutting of trees is a major reason of pollution.
Pollution Due to Urbanization Essay
Pollution Due to Urbanization Essay:- In the recent past few years, rural population is increasingly migrating to the cities, as they are also attracted by the comfortable lifestyle like the urban people. Urbanization has become one of the most important issues which has brought many dire consequences in most of the countries. Essay 1 (300 words)
Essay On Pollution Due To Urbanization In 500+ Words Step by Step
Introduction. Pollution due to Urbanization becomes increases day by day. because in industrialized cities pollution is a major problem. it may be caused by the industries or by the excessive movement of vehicles. Today we consider urbanization as a symbol of development, but due to urbanization, our environment suffers a lot of damage.
Pollution Due to Urbanization Essay
Content: Pollution due to Urbanization. Urbanization is the process of a population shift from rural to urban areas. As cities become more populous and businesses grow, pollution increases due to the increased use of vehicles, factories, and construction. Air pollution is one of the most serious environmental issues facing urban communities today.
Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization
Pollution due to Urbanization Essay. Urbanization is the process by which more and more people move from rural areas to urban centers, resulting in the growth and development of cities. This process has numerous benefits, such as increased access to education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. However, it also has significant negative ...
Pollution Due to Urbanization Essay
Pollution is injurious to our health. Due to air pollution, there are very fine levels of particulates present in the air which can choke our lungs and harm the respiratory system. Pollution Due to Urbanization - Essay 3 (500 words) introduction "The problem of pollution is like a termite, which is slowly making the environment hollow."
Direct and indirect consumption activities drive urban-rural
The national premature deaths related to long-term exposure to PM 2.5 pollution contributed by total household consumption is estimated to be 1.1 million cases in 2015, among which 56% are urban ...
Biofilms on plastic litter in an urban river: Community ...
In aquatic ecosystems, plastic litter is a substrate for biofilms. Biofilms on plastic and natural surfaces share similar composition and activity, with some differences due to factors such as porosity. In freshwaters, most studies have examined biofilms on benthic substrates, while little research has compared the activity and composition of biofilms on buoyant plastic and natural surfaces ...

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Essay on Pollution due to Urbanization in English

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Urbanization and Global Health: The Role of Air Pollution

Background:

Conclusion:

Introduction

Materials and Methods

Statistical description

Multivariate regression results

Ethical considerations

Acknowledgements

Urban and air pollution: a multi-city study of long-term effects of urban landscape patterns on air quality trends

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Introduction

City boundaries

PM 2.5 concentration data

Human settlement layer

Control variables

Calculation of urban form metrics

Division of cities

Division based on spatial autocorrelation relationship

Division based on population size

Panel data analysis

Spatial patterns of PM 2.5 level changes

The effects of urban forms on PM 2.5 changes

Urban form is an effective measure of long-term PM 2.5 trends

The impacts of urban form metrics on air quality vary by urbanization degree

Conclusions

Acknowledgements

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