Pollution and Health

Population Reports Meeting the Urban Challenge Prepared by: Don Hinrichsen Ruwaida M. Salem, MPH Richard Blackburn, MS Series M, Number 16 Fall 2002 Related Materials Online: Meeting the Urban Challenge: www.populationreports.org/m16edsum.shtml Questions & Answers: www.populationreports.org/q&as/m16/ Quiz: www.populationreports.org/prquiz/urban_intro.shtml Population Reports Overview • Urban Population Trends • Urban Poor • Urban Pollution and Health • Impact on the Environment • Making Urban Areas Work Population Reports URBAN POPULATION TRENDS Population Reports An Urban Future • In 2007: half of world’s population will be urban (about 3.2 billion people) • Developed world & Latin America: – About 75% of population lives in urban areas – By 2030 84% will live in urban areas • Developing world: – 40% of the population lives in urban areas – By 2030 56% will live in urban areas Population Reports Urban Growth Most Rapid in Developing Countries Estimated and Projected Urban and Rural Populations of Developing and Developed Countries, 1950-2030 4.5 Population (in Billions) 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 1.0 0.5 Developing Countries - Urban Developing Countries - Rural Developed Countries - Urban Developed Countries - Rural 0.0 1950 Source: United Nations (2002) 1975 2000 2015 2030 Year Population Reports Growing Number of Big Cities Size of City Million cities Developing Developed Megacities 2000 388 274 114 17 2015 554 426 128 21 Developing Developed 13 4 17 4 Source: United Nations (2002) Population Reports Population Distribution of Developing and Developed Countries by Size of Urban Area and Year 1975 Population (in Millions) 1600 1400 1200 1000 2000 2015 1600 Developing Countries 1400 Developed Countries 1200 1000 800 600 400 800 600 400 200 0 <0.5 0.5-1 1-5 5-10 >10 200 0 <0.5 0.5-1 1-5 5-10 >10 Size of Urban Area (in Millions) Source: United Nations (2002) Population Reports Explaining Urban Growth • Migration from rural and other urban areas – more prominent during initial phases of urbanization • Natural population increase – more prominent during later phases of urbanization • Reclassification of rural areas to urban Population Reports THE URBAN POOR Population Reports Urban Poverty Statistics • Conservative estimates from the World Bank: – 30% of poor people live in urban areas – By 2020 40% will live in urban areas – By 2035 50% will live in urban areas Population Reports More World Bank Estimates • 1988: 330 million urban poor in developing world were living on <$1/day • 2000: 495 million urban poor in developing world were living on <$1/day Population Reports Insufficient Incomes • Unemployment levels relatively low in urban areas • Shift from formal sector employment to informal labor market – Low status – Low wages – Long hours – Unsafe work conditions Population Reports Informal Labor Market Population Reports Inadequate Housing and Services • Over 1 billion urban residents worldwide live in inadequate housing • Slum residents usually lack security of tenure • Legal housing is scarce and too expensive • Urban poor usually pay more for services of inferior quality Population Reports Infant Mortality Rates by Residence and Access to Piped Water, Selected Countries, 1990-1994 Urban with Piped Water 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Urban without Piped Water Rural Infant Mortality Rate Africa Asia Infant Mortality Rate 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 Infant Mortality Rate Latin America & Caribbean Indonesia Pakistan Philippines Turkey Source: Bicego (1996) Colombia Dominican Rep. Peru Population Reports Pollution and Health Population Reports Water and Sanitation • Urbanization can increase per capita use of freshwater • WHO and UNICEF: Number of urban residents without access to improved water rose from 113 million in 1990 to 173 million in 2000 • 1/3 of urban water supplies in Africa and Latin America and 1/2 in Asia operate intermittently Population Reports Water-Related Diseases • Worldwide, about 2.3 billion people suffer from water-related diseases • Nearly half of urban residents in Africa, Asia, and Latin America suffer from one or more of the main diseases • Diarrheal diseases are responsible for 90% of health problems • Estimated 4 billion cases/year, causing 3-4 million deaths Population Reports Outdoor Air Pollution • Latin American cities struggle with high suspended particulate matter & ozone levels • Asian cities face similar problems, with rapid growth of cities, more fuel use & more vehicles • Developed countries have strict environmental standards, but energy consumption is greater & pollution levels often exceed standards Population Reports Outdoor Air Pollution • WHO estimates that 1.5 billion urban dwellers face pollution levels that exceed recommended levels • In Asia, 1.5 million people die every year from pollution related diseases • In the US particulate pollution causes onefifth of all lung cancers • Worldwide health costs of urban air pollution are estimated at $1 billion a year Population Reports Indoor Air Pollution • A particular problem in rural areas; however, millions of urban poor also suffer • Estimates suggest that urban indoor air pollution kills about 600,000 annually • Worldwide, 3 billion people rely on biomass fuels for household cooking & heating • These fuels emit large amounts of smoke, directly inside dwelling without ventilation Population Reports Indoor Air Pollution • Urban poor often cannot afford cleaner fuels • Women and children suffer the most • Cleaning up indoor air is also a compelling public health need • A number of technical, behavioral and policy approaches could help Population Reports Impact on the Environment Population Reports Urban Environment • Rapid urbanization can create stress on the natural environment • Urban areas take up 2% of the earth’s surface, but account for 75% of industrial wood use • 60% of water for human use goes to urban areas • Per capita resource consumption, water & air pollution, and soil degradation & contamination have increased Population Reports Urban Expansion • Unplanned & unregulated urban development leads to haphazard expansion & worsening urban living conditions • Industrial development takes place without concern for environment • Economic growth can contribute to urban environmental problems • Burden of urban environmental problems falls disproportionately on the poor Population Reports Heavy Ecological Footprints • “Ecological footprint” of urban areas weighs heavily on the natural environment • Ecological footprint of humankind should be 1.7 hectares of land per capita • Ecological footprint is 2.3 hectares • In the past 25 years consumption levels in industrialized countries has increased consistently at 2.3% per year • In developing countries, per capita consumption has increased, and resource use has soared Population Reports MAKING URBAN AREAS WORK Population Reports Better Urban Governance • Definition: Organization of & relationships between political & administrative institutions + the relationships among government, private institutions & civil society • Consensus: National governments should play the role of enabler; local governments should have more control over the planning & management of local affairs Population Reports Decentralization • Devolve budget authority from national and state governments to municipal level • Increase administrative capacity of local governments • Ensure an inclusive process (community participation) Population Reports Case Study: Porto Alegre, Brazil • 1989: participatory budget process • Each year citizens participate in 2 meetings • Citizens rank their top 5 priority needs from a list of 14 • Local government revises regional plans and budget allocations based on this list • Conditions for the poor have improved; In 7 years: – Households with access to water: 80%  98% – Access to sewerage: 46%  85% Population Reports Improving the Lives of the Urban Poor • Millenium Summit 2000 Goal: Improve lives of at least 100 million slum dwellers by 2020 • But number of slum dwellers is projected to reach 1.5 billion by 2020 Population Reports Role of Local Governments • Implement “pro-poor” social and economic policies • Provide housing and basic services • Provide access to land and credit for the urban poor • Extend security of land and housing tenure Population Reports Role of Communities • Organize and work together to increase negotiating power with government – Example: community savings and loan groups • Community groups can often provide cheaper housing and services – Example: Philippines Homeless Peoples’ Federation Population Reports Role of Donors • Long-term approach that emphasizes institution-building • Increase funding to nongovernmental organizations when government structures are weak • Work through local partners Population Reports Improving Water and Sanitation • With community participation, municipal governments can improve water supplies & sanitation • Saving water is more effective than finding new sources of water • Fix leaky valves & water mains and cut back on illegal taps • Pricing water • Widespread use of on-site and off-site technologies Population Reports Curbing Air Pollution • WHO estimates: bringing suspended particulate matter in cities in developing countries down to safe levels could save 300,000 to 700,000 lives annually • More effective transport systems • More land for parks and green areas Population Reports Recycling Wastes • Recycling urban waste into new resources • Some countries have gone beyond recovery and recycling by promoting “industrial symbiosis” • In many poor countries unable to afford hightech solutions, armies of “rag pickers” sort through garbage for items they can resell or recycle Population Reports A Way Forward • Better governance; integrated coordination at the national, provincial & local levels • National governments play role of the enabler; local governments have more direct control over urban areas • Public participation led by local community members to enhance decision-making • Donor agencies re-evaluating the nature of development assistance • Reallocate resources to focus on institutional capacity Population Reports References • Bicego, G. and Ahmad, O.B. Infant and child mortality. Calverton, Maryland, Macro International, Aug. 1996 (Demographic and Health Surveys Comparative Studies No. 20) 58 p. • United Nations (UN). Population Division. World urbanization prospects: The 2001 revision. New York, UN, Mar. 20, 2002. 182 p. Population Reports Photo Credits • Slide 1: Liz Gilbert/David and Lucile Packard Foundation • Slide 9: Antje Becker-Benton • Slide 13: Liz Gilbert/David and Lucile Packard Foundation • Slide 16: Malea Hoepf • Slide 17: CEDPA/Nepal • Slide 22: Nigel Bruce • Slide 31: D. Hinrichsen • Slide 35: Sara A. Holtz/Peace Corps Population Reports Ordering Information You may order the report in one of four ways: Online at http://www.jhuccp.org/cgi-bin/orders/orderform.cgi; by sending an e-mail to orders@jhuccp.org; by sending a fax to 1-410-659-6266; or by writing to INFO Project Distribution 111 Market Place Suite 310 Baltimore, MD 21202 USA Population Reports