I came across a very interesting post by Stewart Brand of the Long Now Foundation where he covers the impact of urban growth being the saviour of the world. Urbanisation he points out has had some radically unexpected impacts including lifting out large tracts of the population into a financially better off, sustainable and improved global citizen. Growth shoots in the developing world are watered by the increasing rural urban migration flows and the abandoned farmsteads have reverted to natural growth with forests and wildlife once more taking over un-cultivated and un-farmed land helping nature recover its balance.
This is very interesting information and particularly relevant when looking at the impact of rapid urban growth in developing economies. The economic impact of large scale migration from rural to urban centres is interesting and long an anecdotal source of evidence of wealth redistribution. Service needs are met in urban areas by the low income sector population that arrives in cities. Some manage to extricate themselves from the trap of poverty and indebtedness while others continue to maintain a stable life style compared to the potential risk of poverty in rural areas.
As a matter of fact the urban sprawls created by squatters in developing economies are at the forefront of micro change. Small scale businesses, transactions, development and evolution of cities are all the direct impact of this urban migration.
The impact on the environment is indeed heartening and an improbable side effect accelerated by this urban change. The real evidence of course will be dependent on the long term changes these will lead to.
Rural urban migration may initially generate change in these patterns but with increased urbanisation and increased consumption these patterns are bound to change again. More mouths to feed and more products to produce will inevitably lead to a repeat of the exploitative cycle of resources in rural areas or forest land and once more lead to depletion of natural and resources.
Ample evidence is visible in current soya farming practices and other oil and mining exploration attempts which have continued to re exploit areas that have remained untouched including wide scale burning and clearing of virgin forest land. Thus the real impact of urban migration is a long term phenomenon dependent upon change in technology, habits and consumption patterns that will eventually have an impact on the environment and society as a whole.
Cost of living in urban areas has rapidly shot up with housing being one of the most expensive elements. Inflation in most developing countries stand at an all time high with the BRICS particularly impacted by this change. Food inflation in particular is also at an all time high in these economies and may actually be pointing to the impact of the failure of regeneration, investment and cartelisation / monopolies in the food production and distribution sector.
Whether the high growth rate in these developing economies can indeed be sustained is also a further question and indeed evidence today points to a slowdown in the world economies and also in the BRICS. Will this urban migration therefore transplant a cycle of poverty and exploitation from the rural sector to the urban sector and lead to a potential implosion in these economies is what remains to be seen.
Social funding flows therefore face the challenge of not only reaching this population and providing effective intervention but also attempting to forecast the long term impact of this global urban migration.
As a matter of fact the urban sprawls created by squatters in developing economies are at the forefront of micro change. Small scale businesses, transactions, development and evolution of cities are all the direct impact of this urban migration.
The impact on the environment is indeed heartening and an improbable side effect accelerated by this urban change. The real evidence of course will be dependent on the long term changes these will lead to.
Rural urban migration may initially generate change in these patterns but with increased urbanisation and increased consumption these patterns are bound to change again. More mouths to feed and more products to produce will inevitably lead to a repeat of the exploitative cycle of resources in rural areas or forest land and once more lead to depletion of natural and resources.
Ample evidence is visible in current soya farming practices and other oil and mining exploration attempts which have continued to re exploit areas that have remained untouched including wide scale burning and clearing of virgin forest land. Thus the real impact of urban migration is a long term phenomenon dependent upon change in technology, habits and consumption patterns that will eventually have an impact on the environment and society as a whole.
Cost of living in urban areas has rapidly shot up with housing being one of the most expensive elements. Inflation in most developing countries stand at an all time high with the BRICS particularly impacted by this change. Food inflation in particular is also at an all time high in these economies and may actually be pointing to the impact of the failure of regeneration, investment and cartelisation / monopolies in the food production and distribution sector.
Whether the high growth rate in these developing economies can indeed be sustained is also a further question and indeed evidence today points to a slowdown in the world economies and also in the BRICS. Will this urban migration therefore transplant a cycle of poverty and exploitation from the rural sector to the urban sector and lead to a potential implosion in these economies is what remains to be seen.
Social funding flows therefore face the challenge of not only reaching this population and providing effective intervention but also attempting to forecast the long term impact of this global urban migration.