SOME CASE STUDY SUMMARIES FOR UNIT 1 AS GEOGRAPHY
These are by no means all the examples we have discussed this year, but they are a good number of them! Good
luck learning these facts!
1. Flooding Hazard Example: Bangladesh
Causes
 The country has a large population of 125million. It is one of the most densely populated countries in
the world
 Experiences floods/tropical storms every year
 The Ganges, Meghna and Brahmaputra all had their peak flows at the same time
 Sea level increasing 7mm per year, decreasing gradient of the river, which in turns slows the river,
increasing flooding
 Global warming speeds up Himalayan snow melt
 Most of the country is less than 1m above sea level
 The country is criss-crossed by thousands of small rivers, creeks and canals.
 Drainage congestion doesn’t allow water to escape
Impacts
 Flood waters used to:
 Replenish ground water reserves
 Provide nutrient rich sediment for vegetable production in the dry season
 Provide a resource for aqua-culture. Fish supply 75% of dietary protein and over 10% of annual export
earnings
 Impacts of the flood are more catastrophic than the flood itself – spreads disease
 Building costs and maintenance costs – too high for Bangladesh to afford
2. Earthquake Hazard Example: Armenian earthquake in 1988
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Measured 6.9 on the Richter scale
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Caused by Arabian and Eurasion tectionic plates
Depth of the quake was 5 km under surface
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25 000 people killed
300 000 people injured
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Most buildings did not withstand the quake – hence many deaths caused by collapsing buildings
~ 200 strong aftershocks lead to even more severe effects
Very vulnerable.
Buildings constructed with weak materials
No money for technology
Poor education – people did not know what to do
Chaos – nobody knew how many people are missing / where they are
Rescue teams could not get anywhere – all roads blocked
3.Local hazards : Attiki,Greece
1999 Attiki Earthquake
• Magnitude of 6.0 Richter
• Occurred on September 7, 1999, at 2:56:50 pm local time and lasted approximately 15 seconds in
Ano Liosia.
• The tremor was epicentered approximately 17 km to the northwest of the city center, in a sparsely
populated area near Mount Parnitha National Park.
• This proximity to the Athens Metropolitan Area resulted in widespread structural damage,
• 143 dead
2,000 injured
50,000 homeless
53,000+ buildings damaged or destroyed
• Northern Athenian suburbs of Kifissia, Metamorfosi, Kamatero and Nea Philadelphia worst
affected.
• More than 100 buildings (including three major factories) across those areas collapsed trapping
scores of victims under their rubble while dozens more were severely damaged.
1987 Heatwaves/droughts
• Summer of 1987 saw temperatures as high as 44 degrees C and low wind speeds
• 1000 people died in Athens – more than double the usual for this period
• Smog also accompanied the heat wave so made the stress greater for the people
• Elderly and retired people were particularly susceptible
• 2960 people were administered to 68 Athens hospitals at this period
• The deaths were from heat stroke, heat exhaustion etc
2007 wildfires
• 28 June 2007- 3 September 2007 over 3000 firest recorded across Greece
• A series of massive forest fires that broke out in several areas.
• In total 84 people lost their lives because of the fires, including several fire fighters.
• Significant parts of the Parnitha National Park were destroyed and in total, the fire burnt area of
153.8 km2.
1994 Greek floods
• Flooding constituted the second most frequent natural disaster in Greece during 1928–2005 (15
episodes; 23.4% of total) after earthquakes.
• It led to 78 deaths, 10,990 affected people and 719,518,000 US$ damage and repair costs (World
Health Organisation 2005).
4.Multiple Hazard Hotspot: The Philippines
Natural Hazards
 7000 islands at latitudes 5–20°N of the equator. Islands difficult to reach / warn
 Within a belt of tropical cyclone storms (typhoons). Approx 6-7 major storms per year.
 1976 tsunami
 The dense oceanic Philippines plate is being subducted beneath Eurasian plate at a destructive plate margin
 June 1991 Volcanic eruption of Pinatubo, killed between 250-800 but many evacuated as US air base in area
gave warnings and provided vehicles. Typhoon Yunya hit at same time.
 Tropical monsoon climate, subject to heavy rainfall which can lead to flooding and subsequent land sliding /
mass movement made possible because of deforestation of many hillsides: Feb 2006 1,126 were killed by
landslide
 Drought: April 1998 2.5 million affected severely
Vulnerability
 Lower middle income country: lower capacity to cope though has successes too. GDP $3300 PPP
 With a rapidly increasing young population.
 Also urbanizing at an even greater rate, average densities for the whole country are high at 240km², up to
2,000 per km² in the megacity of Manila (population 20m, growing 250 000 per year). Much of Manila at sea
level.
 People are very poor and live coastally - making them very vulnerable to locally generated tsunamis and
typhoon generated storm surges.
 The Philippines therefore experiences social and economic vulnerability & high risk
5.Multiple Hazard Hotspot: California
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Approx. 40 million people.
Megacity of Los Angeles, millionaire cities of San Diego, San Francisco. SANSAN corridor
Geophysical hazards: the San Andreas fault (part of a broader fault zone) marks a conservative plate
boundary where two coastal plates slide past each other, parallel to the plate margin at differential speeds.
An earthquake of Richter Scale 7 or above would have massive impacts. The soft basin sediments in LA lead
to rapid shaking with 5 major earthquakes being recorded in the last 100 years. Earthquakes when shallow
are more destructive.
 Loma Prieta earthquake in San Francisco, 17 October 1989
 Magnitude 7.1
 63 dead
 $6 Billion damages
 1018 homes destroyed
 Northridge earthquake in Los Angeles
 17th January 1994
 Magnitude 6.7
 57 dead
 12 599 buildings damaged
 9000 homes and businesses without water for several days
Range of atmospheric hazards - fog, drought and associated frequent wildfires.
 El Niño — La Niña oscillation: winter storms, especially during El Nino years lead to floods in the Los Angeles
and San Gabriel rivers (with deforested hill sides).
 El Nino is part of a cycle of approximately 7 years, in which 1-2 years occur as El Nino years and 1-2 occur as
La Nina.
 El Nino is defined as an abnormal warning of surface ocean waters in the Eastern Pacific
 El Nino years, air currents move eastwards across the Pacific, brining moist air to South America and the
eastern Pacific. The California coast is also affected by this current, bringing torrential rain – causing floods
and landslides.
 In La Nina Years involve current reversing to move across the Pacific towards Australia, bringing moist air.
Warm dry air blows over California from the American deserts, bringing drought and the threat of forest
fires to California.
 Summer drought problem in a Mediterranean climate, especially in Southern California, but more marked in
La Niña years.
 Advection fog occur when cool air from cold offshore current drifts inland and meets warm air (especially in
Summer). Climate conditions combine with car pollution to generate photochemical smog which collects in
the basin.
 Landslides take place in heavy winter storms where hillsides have been burnt by wildfire and eroded.
 Risk of erosion along coast near Malibu and Santa Monica (related to ENSO cycle).
 Only sophisticated management prevents California from becoming a disaster zone (measured in mortality).
NB prediction of earthquake activity is not possible even with technology. GDP $47 000 PPP
6.Impacts of Climate Change: Africa
Background
 Africa makes the least contribution to global warming worldwide
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However, it experiences a large number of the consequences
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Predicted temperature change 4-5°C higher than the global rate
 Rainfall is likely to increase in the equatorial region, but decrease to the north and south of that band.
Impacts
 Water Issues
 Water regulated by access to hydro-electric power, domestic and industry
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Many of the larger rivers (River Nile) are internationally shared – causing conflict
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Could lead to wars, global migrations and famine
Food Insecurity
70% of population are subsistence farmers, many of whom will not be able to feed themselves if the water
supplies dry up
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Increased locust plagues may also threaten food supplies – even for commercial farmers
Natural Resources
Loss of biodiversity due to climate change will threaten poorer people who are dependent on wildlife
Loss of safari tourism industry in places like Kenya as the Big 5 wild animals will die out.
Health
Vector borne and water borne diseases could increase with climate change - higher medical expenses
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80% of remedies rely on wild plants that are under threat.
Development of Coastal Zones
60% of Africans live in coastal zones - affected by sea level rise?
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Make shanty towns in cities such as Accra, Freetown and Lagos will develop
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Coastal zones are at risk of coastal erosion and rising sea levels
Desertification
Major destroyer of grassland
Increased by unreliable or decreasing rainfall
7.Impacts of Climate Change: Arctic
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3-4C warming since the 1950s
6-8C warming by 2100 considered a distinct possibility
Increased river discharge
10% decline in snow cover since late 1970s
10-20% decline in snow cover expected by 2070
Precipitation increased 8% since 1900, mostly as rain; further increases expected
Permafrost has warmed by 2C since 1970s; shifts northward of the permafrost zone of 100s km are
expected.
Tundra ecosystems get lost
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Spread of species such as the spruce bark beetle in Alaska
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Increase in boreal forest fires in Arctic Russia – loosing vital carbon sinks
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24 villages in Alaska threatened by flooding
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Thin ice makes hunting more dangerous
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Ice used to protect settlements, now they are in danger
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Negative multiplier effect in Marine Ecosystem
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At current rates 50% of Arctic ice will be lost by 2100
The arctic ecosystem is highly vulnerable as it is deeply adapted to an intense, seasonal climate. It relies
upon a continuous, very cold winter.
There is evidence that this winter is fast disappearing to be replaced by more variable cold-thaw conditions
which lead to iceing, fails to kill pests, and promotes waterlogging.
Many species are not in a position to migrate to new latitudes, and others which depend directly on sea ice
may simply disappear.
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Summary of observed and potential ecological impacts:
Area of concern
Observed impacts
Potential impacts
Outbreaks of insects
Spruce bark beetle is already on the rise; up Likely to increase, as 2 year + hard
to 2 million hectares of spruce forest frosts become rare and beetle larvae
already damaged
survive
Forest fires
Areas burned have doubled in western A further 80% increase in annual forest
North America since the 1970s
fires is expected by 2100
Agriculture
Little impact so far
Polar Bears
Growing concern over falling numbers in An ice free Arctic could see
populations crash, as bears rely on ice
some regions
for transport; populations used to
Significant changes could increase
growing seasons, allowing more land
to be converted to grazing
isolation are unlikely to survive
increasing contact with Browns and
Grizzlys
Ice dependent seals
These are seals which give birth on sea ice, Similar to polar bears, many species so
and haul themselves onto sea ice e.g. ringed depend on sea ice that their
seals
populations may become extinct.
Cod and Shrimp
These fisheries have already been observed Cod populations could expand hugely
as climate warms, whereas shrimp
as closely related to climate
populations are likely to crash
Tundra Plants
Vegetations zones are already changing, If permafrost continues to melt, long
with and advance of forests and loss of term waterlogging will significantly
change flora and insect life over large
grassland
areas, with knock-on effects to large
mammals.
Ice crusting
This occurs when unexpected winter thaws Population collapses are highly likely
are followed by fresh snowfall; this prevents due to winter starvation
Lemmings, Musk Ox and Caribou from
digging through the snow to forage
8.Transnational Company Example: Tesco
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Stores in Japan, China and India
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Over 48,000 stores overseas
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Planning controls less restrictive outside UK
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Wages in India and China are 50p per hour
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Make £3000 per minute
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60% of international products come from Asia
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Online shopping advances
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Merger with Samsung TNC
9.TNC: McDonalds and Globalisation
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McDonald's is a service sector TNC which is at the forefront of globalisation.
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McDonald's started in 1955 in San Bernardino, California
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It now operates in 120 countries across the world with 30,000 plus stores
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Largest fast food company in world
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50 million people a day use it’s restaurants
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1200 restaurants in UK alone serving 2 million customers a day
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Its profits go to the USA, where it is based
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Many of the McDonalds stores are run as franchises – where someone (often a previous McDonalds
employee) pays maybe 250,000 pounds and promises to run it for at least 20 years
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Profits circulate locally and there is a multiplier effect
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They are quite a radical TNC and try to source products locally to be sustainable(as this is what the customers
want these days)
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Anywhere in the world the packaging and tables are quite similar – customer culture share commonalities!
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The brand and experience is the same and this makes people feel secure – and it spreads western culture
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The sign is instantly recognizable – the golden arches!!!!
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In Windsor, UK they do not have the sign of the golden arches at the door as they could not get planning
permission as it is opposite the castle!
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There are some local variations – GLOCALISATION -Such as beer available in Germany.
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Prices vary to reflect wages and costs of supplies. In the UK an average meal is 4 pounds but in USA it is 3
pounds and in Sri Lanka 1 pound.
Social Impacts
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sharing of Western Culture across the world bringing with it new diets not previously seen in these countries.
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The introduction of another culture can result in the loss of some traditions. In this example, the introduction of
fast food may lead to loss of traditional foods.
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One possible effect of McDonald's expansion could be an increase in the obesity rate of these countries,
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Another social impact is the lifestyles of the workers. In 2000 accusations were made against McDonald's that
sweatshop labour was being used in factories creating happy meal toys in Shenzhen, China. Although
McDonald's denied that they knew anything about this the accusation damaged their reputation.
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McDonald's has also tried to create a positive image the idea of corporate responsibility such as the
Ronald McDonald house charities that offer help and support to families with sick children through
independent charities supported by McDonald's. Through the money donated they have made 400 rooms for
families every night of the year.
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McDonald's also offer some employees that chance to acquire qualifications while working there.
Economic Impacts
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McDonald's employs more than 1.7 million people, and train their employees. In the U.K they offer employees
the chance to gains qualifications from apprenticeships up to foundation degrees.
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In 2011 McDonald's gross profit was 10.69 billion dollars – which had gone up from 9.6 billion in 2010.
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In 2007 McDonalds spent 460 million pounds through its UK supply chain
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This money went to 17,000 farmers working with 6000 food supply companies
Environmental Impacts
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One environmental impact that sticks in peoples’ brains is the allegation that McDonald's fuels that
deforestation of the Amazon. In 2006 Greenpeace published a report called "Eating Up the Amazon" this
traced soya beans grown in illegally deforested areas to McDonald's used as chicken feed and then served up
as Chicken McNuggets. Again McDonald's denied these claims.
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McDonald's tries to reduce the environmental impacts in the U.K with the following policies:
a) Bins provided outside each store and litter patrols at least twice a day outside each restaurant to pick up any
litter. However this litter is not recycled it is often sent to landfill.
b) 75% of company owned McDonald's restaurant recycle all their cardboard. This figure is planned to increase
to 100% in the following year
c) Used cooking oil is collected and reused as bio-diesel to power the McDonald's Delivery fleet.
10.NAFTA : a Trade Bloc (+ advantage and – disadvantage)
On the USA
+All 3 countries are
better off with free trade
as they specialise in
producing what they are
best at
-Free trade with Mexico
would result in wage and
benefit reductions if US
firms are to remain
competitive
against
cheap Mexican labour
-Environmental groups
saw
more
severe
environmental damage
in Mexico as the
environmental laws are
lax and often not
enforced
+Multinationals
have
moved operations to
Mexico have gained
higher profits
-Growth of the visible
trade deficit worth 16%
of US trade
-Mexican trucks are
allowed full access to
American highways but
they don’t limit the time
drivers are allowed to
stay behind the wheel
On Canada
+Visible trade with US
increased 80% in the first
5 years of NAFTA
+Visible trade with
Mexico has doubled to
reach $9 billion in 1998
+US investment in
Canada reached $147
billion in 1998, up 63%
from 1993
+More than 1 million
new jobs created since
its start
+In 1998, 68% of FDI in
Canada came from US
and Mexico
-Concerns from
environmental groups
regarding damage
On Mexico
+Forcing Mexican companies
to adopt higher foreign
standards and business
practices
+Makes it impossible for
Mexico to go back to poor
political choices from the past
+Mexico has reduced or zero
tariffs with 60% of the world
-Many believe Mexico has
become trade dependent –
88% of export go to the US
-Mexican government did
little to prepare the country
for the significant changes e.g.
before NAFTA farmers were
protected by import tariffs
and government-price
guarantees – now unable to
compete with large scale
farmers in USA and Canada
-Maquiladoras
11.Switched On Country Example: China
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Recent economic growth – 1995 GNP per capita $995 and in 2005 $1700
Natural resources – coal oil and gas with recent HEP (Three Gorges) and nuclear
Good geography - near emerging markets of S Korea, Taiwan and India
Massive population of 1.3 billion plus who are hard working and motivated
600,000 engineers trained in China per year
Workers from rural areas arriving in city (often without permit) are sometimes treated badly with pr
conditions and wages may be withheld
Divided country with massive growth in Shanghai and some cities and rural areas like Sichuan lack
development
Government incentives, cheap labour and a huge market of 1.3 billion + attract FDI and TNCs
12.Switched On Country Example: India
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6% annual growth rate
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Brain Gain
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Migration back from North America and Europe
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Cheap food imports are hurting farmers in India, who make up 70% of the population
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European companies suffering as Indian companies make the same goods at 20% of cost
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Large gap between rich and poor
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Service sector worth $25 Billion
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Bangalore is India’s fastest growing city
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Development of outsourcing eg UK call centres close and now in India
Proficient in English language due to colonial past so helps to make India more interconnected
13.Switched off/Disconnected Country Example: North Korea
Countries that are more isolated from global networking, and not so much part of the global community, are
known as disconnected countries. The exam board often refer to these as ‘switched off’ countries.
 Leadership and the government is the main reason for the lack of networking!! Kim Jong-un is the
supreme leader of North Korea, the son of Kim Jong-il (1941–2011) and the grandson of Kim Il-sung
(1912–1994). North Korea is run as a single party state from Pyongyang.
 North Korean media are under some of the strictest government control in the world. The North
Korean constitution provides for freedom of speech and the press; but the government prohibits
the exercise of these rights in practice.
 There is now a 3G mobile phone company with 1 million subscribers in Feb 2012. Restrictions have
included a ban on cell phones from 2004-2008 and the removal of Internet access from individual
phones.
 Ordinary North Koreans do not have access to the global Internet network, but are provided with a
nationwide, public-use Intranet service called Kwangmyong, which features domestic news, an email service, and censored information from foreign websites (mostly scientific
 Tourism and travel is banned – and only restricted permits are given for foreigners to enter and North
Koreans to leave.
 North Korea is one of the world's most militarized countries, with a total of 9,495,000 active,
reserve, and paramilitary personnel. Its active duty army of 1.21 million is the 4th largest in the
world, after China, the U.S., and India. It is a nuclear-weapons state and has an active space
program
 North Korea has long maintained close relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC) and
Russia. The fall of communism in eastern Europe in 1989, and the disintegration of the Soviet Union
in 1991, resulted in a devastating drop in aid to North Korea from Russia, although China continues
to provide substantial assistance. North Korea continues to have strong ties with its socialist
southeast Asian allies in Vietnam and Laos, as well as with Cambodia.
Laos
 Inaccessible
 Lack of transport
 Agriculture is the main industry – subsistence is 85%
 Unreliable climate
Cambodia
 War devastated country in the 1980’s
 Conflict between government and communists
 Vietnam invaded in 1978 and left in 1989 leaving Cambodia to pick up the pieces
 Became a fragile democracy in 1989
 International ties were isolated, and the country received foreign aid
 Agriculture is main economic sector
 Low labour costs
 Government invests incentives for TNCs
 High levels of foreign debt (Russia)
Vietnam
 War (1957 – 1975)
 Isolation
 Deltaic (made up of deltas, rivers)
 Physical geography
 Inflexible political/ economic situation
14.Changes in Britain’s population since 1901
Changing
factor
How this has changed
Family size
Population rise from 37m in 1901 to 61 million in 2007. In 2011 it
reached 63.2 billion. Even though household size has fallen (small
families, gay couples, pensioners and divorcees) life expectancy has
risen. This increases extended households.
Population
structure
UK now has a top heavy population structure. In 1931, just 7% were
aged over 65 and 24% under 16. However nowadays it has changed
to 16% and 19% respectively. Life expectancy has also risen to 77
(men) and 82 (women) in 2007.
Migration
The UK is more mobile now. People now migrate towards
settlements with service jobs, generally, towards the south – east.
26% of the UK now live in London. Counter – urbanisation now exists
as well as age selective migrations.
Employment
Industrial decline and manufacturing decline have changed where
people live and what jobs they are employed in. There's been a move
towards ‘white collar’ service work. See diagram p 122 Philip Allan.
Social status
and
aspirations
Social mobility has increased meaning that more people are moving
around, and out of poverty into the middle classes. More people
going into further education and into non – manual work.
Ethnicity
Around 8% of the UK are made up of minority groups. From 1950s a
large scale migration from the UK’s former colonies and then the
expansion of the EU in early 2000 both changed the ethnic make up
of the UK. Segregation exists in some districts.
15.Ageing population in UK
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60% of British are working and have to pay taxes.
These taxes must pay the pensions to the 21% of the population that are retired
Dependency looking worse in the future with 56% of the population in 2030 working paying 26% of
people who will have retired
• There is a big difference between retired people – people in their 60s are very different and active
compared to those in their 80s
Positives
• Voluntary charitable work eg retired people often run second hand shops in UK
• Spending money on goods and services eg golf and cruises – grey consumers
• Bringing wisdom and experience to some sectors – eg many people work as consultants into their
70s or 80s
• Elderly homeowners can borrow money from the banks and the bank then reclaims this money on
their death from the money from the sale of the house – called equity release
• Many own stocks and shares so make new profits and pay taxes on these
Negatives
• Economic costs – providing health care, retirement homes and a pension(to those over 65) is going
to become increasingly expensive (Baby boomers will cost £30 billion a year by 2026)
• Housing costs are paid by the government for those who have no savings
• Government gives free TV license to those over 75 and 200 pounds of free winter fuel too
• Train and bus passes may be issued free - expensive
• Housing shortages due to longer life expectancy eg at the coast in Bournemouth
• House prices have trebled from 1995-2005 in some UK seaside towns so young people who are first
time buyers get pushed out of the market
• Emotional burden on younger and middle aged people to take care of older relatives
• More degenerative illnesses to deal with eg Alzheimers
16.Migration into the UK
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1948 Black Caribbean – (566,000) SS Windrush brought Jamaicans to London to help rebuild post war and
many work on the Underground/Tube
1960s Pakistani (750,000) and Indian (1million)- initially men migrated alone to escape poverty. Now large
concentration in E and W Midlands, Yorkshire and NW where there were jobs at the time.
Late 1960s/70s Bangladeshis –(280,000) men mainly and then followed by families in 1980s. Over 75% in
London
Vietnamese boat people – (20,000) refugees fleeing Vietnam war mainly came in via Hong Kong
1972 expulsion of Ugandan Asians by Idi Amin – 30,000 asylum seekers
Black Africans from former colonies 480,000
Ethnic Chinese from Singapore, Malaysia and mainland China – 47% in London and SE. Many set up
businesses like takeaway shops etc Many recent arrivals are students.
1990s Balkans as conflicts there – Croatians, Bosnians and Kosovans
Asylum seekers from Iraq, Somalia and Zimbabwe and Kurds
2004 onwards A8 Accession countries(see separate case study below) as opening of EU borders
17.Post Accession Labour Flow: Poland UK
Background
 May 2004, 8 European States joined the EU
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62% of EU immigrants are Polish
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By 2008, around 700,000 Poles working in the UK
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Most located in Anglian Region
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Least located in Wales
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The UK’s A8 rural hotspots are: Boston, Peterborough, Fenland, Herefordshire and Dungannon.
In 2007 10% of the people living in some rural areas were immigrants.
Hotspot areas include:65000 in the east (vegetable picking), 59000 in London, 51000 in the
Midlands and 32000 in Scotland. (fishing industry)
Push and Pull Factors
 Employment
 Low salaries in Poland (£200 per month)
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High unemployment in Poland (20% - 25%)
 Survey shows economic reasons are most common for emigration in Poland.
Welfare
 Once an EU National has been living and working in Britain for 12 months, they are entitled to the same level
of child support (£941 per year) as any other British citizen. The Polish annual child support benefit is only
£160.
 Polish are allowed access to NHS and unemployment benefits.
Society and Government
 Better standard of living in UK
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More social opportunities in UK
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Polish government is still not truly democratic
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Young dependants feel the country is being run by the older generation
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Scottish government trying to persuade Polish to fill jobs in the labour market.
Impacts on the Host Country
(UK)
Impacts on the Source Country
(Poland)
Government intervention to encourage
Poles to return. Offering more lucrative
salaries.
Shortage of skilled construction workers
Polish history and culture may be taught
to English pupils
Migrants have fuelled economic growth
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
By 2007, 35% of construction jobs could
not be filled.
Media campaigns used to persuade
staying
A large number of the 1.4 million eastern European migrants previously living in the UK left and
returned home in 2008, 2009 and 2010.
Almost half of the A8 migrants have returned home, leaving 700,000 in the UK.
The reasons relate to the global economic downturn and social reasons: when it joined the EU in 2004,
Poland’s unemployment was at 20%, whereas the British economy was strong and there were plenty of
jobs.
The Polish currency (the zloty) has since strengthened against the pound making work in Britain less
rewarding for migrants.
But now the UK economy is struggling while Poland’s is actually growing healthily (in fact it is the
world’s 20th largest!).
Warsaw has an unemployment rate below that of London and some Polish firms are flourishing and can
put together attractive financial offers to entice people back home.
Many young, well-educated Poles have been doing demeaning work in Britain for which they are
overqualified.
They are glad to return home for more rewarding employment, closer to their families.
18.Retirement Flow to a Mediterranean Location: UK Spain
Background
 Almost 1 Million British people live in Spain
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80,000 of them are retired
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Climate is the key reason for migration
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Health and slower pace of life was second most important
 With employment and work being the least influential factor
Push and Pull Factors
Mediterranean Climate
 Temperature usually around 10°C warmer than in the UK
 Sunnier and Less rain
Communications Networks
 Advances in technology and the introduction of cheap airlines makes travelling to and from Spain cheap and
easy
 Eg Easyjet
Lifestyle of Spanish People
 Slower pace of life
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Low crime rates
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Absence of ‘Youth Culture’ in popular migration destinations
Golf courses in plentiful supply
Cost of Living
 Still receive UK pension
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Taxes in Spain are lower than in the UK
 General day to day costs are lower in Spain
Property Market
 House prices in UK are high – can sell for a high value
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House prices in Spain are low – can buy for a low value
 Making profit
Health Care
 In the past people have been scared to migrate as they don’t feel foreign health care is reliable
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Nowadays Brits are entitled to use free health services in Spain, so are comfortable
19.Megacity Example: Los Angeles
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Second largest city in the USA
It forms part of the SanSan urban corridor, connecting San Francisco to San Diego.
It had a population of 3.8 million in 2007, with a population density of 3000 per km².
It is located near the Pacific coast in Southern California.
Los Angeles is both a Megacity, and a world city. It does not exist in isolation, but has global connections
with many other cities.
Why did Los Angeles grow?
 Arrival of railway in 1876 stimulated rapid growth, with half a million people arriving in 40 years.
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Discovery of oil
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Opening of a Ford car plant and other manufacturing industry
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Development of the film industry in Hollywood in the 1920’s and 1930’s
 By the late 1970’s it was the fastest growing city in the USA
Sub-urban Sprawl
 Arrival of electric tramways in the 1920’s and 1930’s, and later motorways, meant people could live further
away from work on their own land. The 1980’s saw urban growth spreading to mountains and deserts, 2
hours travelling time from LA.
 Reasons for this include:
o Cheap fuel
o High personal mobility
o Accessibility
o Better schools and services
o Safer neighbourhoods
Impacts of this include:
 Congested motorways
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Air pollution
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Loss of farmland
 Decline of central Los Angeles
Other Problems facing LA
 Housing shortages – caused by high rates of migration
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Urban tension – due to ethnic differences (riots in 1965)
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Work – deindustrialisation results in loss of manufacturing jobs
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Water – piped from 350km away causes disputes with neighbouring states
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Transport – there are 10 million vehicles on the road, only 30% of people use public transport
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Health and Education – many migrants are excluded because they cannot afford these services
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Waste – 24 million people produce 50 000 tonnes of waste every day
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Massive Energy Usage
Sustainability in LA
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The City of Los Angeles seeks to conserve and enhance the environment and lives of residents in the
City's neighbourhoods without compromising the ability of future generations to do the same.
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The Clean Tech Corridor is the cornerstone of the Mayor’s vision to put Los Angeles at the forefront of
the clean techrevolution and to transform the old, downtown industrial core into an incubator for
green jobs, technology and the growth of LA’s economy. It will bring together researchers, designers
and manufacturers dedicated to the development of clean technology products and solutions to
climate change challenges.
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In 2007, the City adopted GREEN LA: An Action Plan to Lead the Nation in Fighting Global Warming
and they have already hit a major milestone by meeting the Kyoto targets for reducing greenhouse
gases, four years ahead of schedule.
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GREEN LA goes further by setting the goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent below
1990 levels by 2030; increasing the City’s use of renewable energy to 40 percent by 2020 and over 50
more initiatives that will reduce the City’s carbon footprint.
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With the Clean Air Action Plan, Los Angeles is leading the fight to clean our air by reducing dirty
emissions from the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, which account for 20 percent of the toxic air
emissions in the South Coast Air Basin, by 45 percent by 2011.
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The City’s transformation of its fleet of vehicles – street sweepers, refuse trucks, buses and passenger
vehicles – to alternative fuel vehicles is working to improve the air quality in Los Angeles.
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Mayor Villaraigosa has opened thirty-five (35) new or expanded parks and increasing the City’s
recycling, or diversion rate, to 70 percent during his administration.
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And in 2006, the Mayor was very proud to help release the first flow of water in the Lower Owens
River in 95 years.
20.Megacity Example: Mumbai
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Most populous city in India, 14 million in 2007 and set to be 26 million by 2020
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Densely populated 30,000 people per km squared
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Commercial capital of India – 33% of India’s tax from there and 40% of international flights arrive there
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Global hub for TNCs as gateway between West and China in East
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Most of money from Indian TNCs like Bata Steel, out-source work and Bollywood
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60% live in poverty
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Slums: Dharavi – the ‘largest’ and most organized slum/shanty town in Asia
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100,000 people live and work there on 220 heactares of land near the airport
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Land is worth up to 10 billion dollars where the shanty is
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Streets are 1-2m wide
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Goods worth 500 million pounds made here
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80% of waste is recycled and in Dharavi, nothing is considered rubbish
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10 people die on the overcrowded railway system everyday
 Massive traffic congestion too
Vision Mumbai –sustainable management strategy
 Aims to create a sustainable city which is good for both the people and the environment
Transport
 2008 first metro line
 An elevated highway called Sealink as it goes along the coastline
 25km bridge over the Bay of Mumbai to link the city with neighbouring town
 160 energy efficient trains are being added to earn carbon credits
Housing
 200,000+ illegal slum dwellers moved and 45,000 shanties across city destroyed
 Dharavi has its own redevelopment project
 Modern industry receiving 1.3m square land for every square metre of housing they build
Environment
 325 new open parks built
Employment
 Hoping to increase 8-10% growth
 With 200,000 new jobs in service sector eg finance and entertainment
 Also 200,000 jobs in business park near airport with computer assembly and fashion
21.Fairtrade: soleRebels, Ethiopia
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Started by Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
soleRebels began in 2004 as an idea: to bring jobs to the community, Zenabwork, a small village in Ethiopia,
a place where there literally were none.
Using the community’s incredible artisan skills and channelling them into a sustainable, global, fair trade
footwear business.
The soleRebels brand is being enjoyed by people in over 30 countries around the world.
They could source and make almost ALL the materials locally, thereby creating an export product from 100%
local inputs.
This allowed them to make the traditional local shoe made from a recycled car tire, that has existed in
Ethiopia for a LONG time and modernise it a bit for fashion!
Collections of superFresh, comfy + cool sandals, flip flops and shoes featuring recycled car tire soles and an
array of recycled and sustainable ingredients like hand spun + hand loomed organic fabrics and a pallete of
unique natural fibers including organic pure abyssinian jutes and PURE Abyssinian KOBA are proving to be
very popular.
Advertised in Oprah magazine, sold online and even sold by Amazon