Introduction
Urbanization is the concentration of people in one area and the transformation of such area to cater for transportation, housing, and industrial of large populations. Beijing has been one of China’s social, economic, and cultural hubs over the years. As a result of the concentration of talent and services, the city has become an economic and technological epicenter, thus attracting more people seeking economic opportunities and exposure. According to the World Bank, 56 percent of the world’s population lives in cities, with this number expected to double by 2050 (The World Bank, 2023). However, the growth of Beijing presents a range of environmental challenges which can have devastating impacts on ecosystems and humans for generations. Cities are a major contributor to environmental pollution because emission of greenhouse gasses and putting pressure on natural resources. Understanding the environmental impact of cities like Beijing is important for sustainable development and the well-being of urban and rural populations. Failure to address the environmental pollution poses a threat to human health, ecosystems and the economic future of countries. This paper will investigate the various ways in which Beijing affects the environment and propose possible solutions.
Air pollution
First, Beijing is one of the most polluted cities in the world through transportation, large-scale agriculture, fuel consumption, and beauty products. Because of the large population in Beijing, there is a demand for large-scale food production to meet the demand of city dwellers. The need for mass production leads to the use of pesticides and fossil fuels in agriculture, which contribute to air pollution. Air pollution has a devastating effect on people’s health by lowering the quality of breathing air, and economies around the world by affecting weather patterns. Due to the high pollution in Beijing, a high mortality rate among children and the elderly was observed reiterating the need to contain air pollution (Maji et al., 2020). Industrialization which is rampant in Beijing is another major cause of air pollution as it leads to the release of toxic gases into the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels and the use of toxic chemicals. The degree of air pollution in a city is measured by the presence of various pollutants in the air like Carbon monoxide, Nitrogen oxides, Sulphur oxides and particulate matter. A study of Beijing city showed that the formation of new particulate matter contributed to the number and concentration of haze in the city (Kulmala et al., 2021). A high presence of these pollutants suggests that the air is polluted and not safe for human health.
Air pollution makes respiratory diseases harder to treat as high concentrations of some pollutants increase the transmission of respiratory diseases and increase their severity. Therefore, air pollution in Beijing could have devastating health implications for vulnerable populations such as children and the elderly. Furthermore, exposure to air pollution can compromise the immune system, thus exposing a person to other health complications and worsening their chances of recovery. However, there is evidence suggesting that air pollution in Beijing has peaked and will reach pre-2007 levels by 2025 (Meng & Zhou, 2020).
Water Pollution
The city of Beijing is located in the northern dry region of China and thus faces many sustainability issues with regard to water. The Concentration of manufacturing across Beijing has led to severe water pollution, wetland degradation, and groundwater overexploitation while Beijing region’s production of 10% of the countries grain production has led to the increased use of fertilizer which has led to the eutrophication of the city’s waterways (Kattel et al., 2020). The large population in Beijing poses a challenge on waste management and maintenance of water facilities. Furthermore, the presence of many structures and infrastructure reduces the rate at which water infiltrates into the ground causing runoffs which carry pollutants into water bodies. Second, poor sewer systems and sanitation practices as a result of congestion may lead to water mixing with water, which poses a threat to human health in terms of communicable diseases. Furthermore, poor dumping practices in cities can lead to the disposal of pollutants like microplastics into water bodies, which has adverse effects on fish and other forms of aquatic life. The quality of water is one of the main factors that affect human health because poor water quality can lead to waterborne diseases within urban populations.
Habitat Destruction
Other animals and plants play a key role in the ecosystem and require special protection from extinction as a result of expansion in cities. As cities expand to accommodate more people, there is significant natural habitat destruction for other animals, which leads to biodiversity loss. Habitat destruction includes the cutting down of trees to make way for buildings and other infrastructure for transport and industrial purposes. The rapid growth of Beijing has led to the degradation and disappearance of habitats such as wetlands, lakes and forests because of the encroachment of the city’s infrastructure on these habitats (Zhang et al., 2022). Indigenous animals play a important roles in the ecosystem and their elimination could have a devastating impact on humans and the food chain which can lead to a domino effect on other animals.
Additionally, habitat destruction disrupts ecosystem functions, which play a major role in climate regulation and pollination. When such habitats are destroyed, the environment is deprived of certain ecosystem purposes, leading to environmental degradation and a reduction in resilience to climate change. Furthermore, cities contribute to climate change through urbanization pressure, which leads to overconsumption of resources, reducing the amount available for other species. Moreover, the expansion of cities to accommodate more people exerts pressure on existing habitats, leading to competition among animals and threatening the survival of certain species.
Resource Consumption
The presence of large numbers of people in Beijing creates a high demand for resources such as energy and water. Beijing had a population of more than 21 million in 2022, making it one of the most populated cities in the world (Textor, 2024). Some energy sources used in cities contribute to pollution, which affects both urban and rural populations. On the other hand, the large amounts of water consumed by cities through domestic and industrial use could be useful in conserving the environment through practices such as tree planting. High water consumption in Beijing can lead to the use of wastewater in irrigation, which endangers food safety and security for the country. Land pollution through dumping and construction in cities can reduce the productivity of soil while also causing groundwater pollution. Additionally, demand for other products leads to mining practices to provide raw materials for the products.
Food demand and the absence of farming land lead to largescale farming practices in both animal and crop farming in other areas and the subsequent transportation of the food products. Cities need to adopt sustainable use of resources to minimize the effects of pollution. Moreover, cities can embrace recycling to alleviate the levels of mining in other parts, hence minimizing mining pollution and transportation. Soil pollution affects the amount of vegetation that grows in an area, while polluted groundwater can seep into water bodies with devastating effects on aquatic life. Moreover, cities could also adopt urban agriculture, which will help avoid the pollution emitted in the transportation of goods from rural areas to feed the city population.
Environmental benefits of urbanization
However, cities like Beijing have environmental benefits due to their nature of concentrated populations and resources. First, Beijing is able to produce the same amount of products at a lower cost in terms of resources than rural areas because of economies of scale, which reduces the ecological footprint of the city. For instance, the service industries, which rely on the concentration of clients, would be both economically and environmentally unsustainable in other settings because it would involve commuting, thus increasing the use of fossil fuels. Second, large cities like Beijing make public transportation more viable and shorter because different industries are concentrated in a small area. On the other hand, sparsely populated areas require increased private transportation to access goods and services.
Moreover, urbanization drives innovation as people are able to access resources and share knowledge. Tackling climate change requires innovation and investment, which are more likely to happen in cities because of the concentration of people and resources. Beijing had a gross domestic product (GDP) of 609 billion dollars, which suggests that it has both the capital and manpower to drive innovation and production of sustainable energy technology (JUAN, 2024). Moreover, cities are ideal for the development of large-scale infrastructure because they incur less cost per person and resources needed in terms of material and personnel are available. As a result, creating environmentally friendly infrastructure and raising capital for the same is easier in large cities. This suggests that sustainable urban development can benefit the environment while offsetting some of the effects of pollution in other areas.
Steps taken
Various steps have been taken by both residents and authorities to address pollution in Beijing with considerable success. First, the government in Beijing subsidizes the manufacture of new energy vehicles (Wang et al., 2022). The use of new energy vehicles, as opposed to combustion engine cars, can help combat the pollution caused by emissions from burning hydrocarbons. Researchers have observed that the use of this type of vehicles in Beijing reduces the concentration of fine particulate matter in the atmosphere (Wang et al., 2022). The adoption of new technology by the city of Beijing helps to lower pollution and reflects a healthy attitude of the people towards the environment
Certain cities have adopted sustainable development through technology and policy to alleviate environmental pollution and to improve health outcomes for the residents. I will examine the case of Chinese cities to draw the contrast between outcomes for sustainable and unsustainable development. Because of rapid economic development in China, the country has experienced an increase in the use of both fossil fuels and renewable energy. As a result, people living in industrialized areas experience the implications of pollution differently. For instance, populations in Beijing experience haze and smog, which is dangerous for their health and a negative externality of development.
As per China’s meteorological department, the country experienced an average of 35.9 haze days in 2013 with some areas experiencing 100 haze days (Chu et al., 2021). As a result, the Chinese authorities have adopted stringent measures aimed at environmental conservation. Urban officials in Beijing have the power to choose what land to convert from traditional urban areas to smart cities based on environmental considerations, effectively acting as land developers (Chu et al., 2021). Furthermore, land prices and taxes are determined in relation to the impact on the environment, which incentivizes developers and investors to adopt environmentally friendly practices. Increased innovation in Beijing also leads to efficiency and a reduction in pollution as people adopt new environmentally friendly technologies. Changes in urban structures have also helped reduce pollution levels in Beijing, China, and foster economic growth. This case study suggests that it is possible to adopt policies that positively impact the environment without compromising economic prosperity.
Conclusion
While cities provide an opportunity for development and improvement in people’s living standards, the environmental costs that come with them should not be ignored. The efforts that come into play in sustaining a city’s population cause dire environmental implications for the population and the entire ecosystem. As such, there is a need to adopt environmentally friendly practices in urban areas for the sake of human health and to sustain other species. However, cities do not just cause pollution but can also help reduce it through their efficiency, which is not available in rural, sparsely populated areas. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that tackling environmental pollution in cities does not have to come at an economic cost. Instead, reasonable government intervention and appropriate innovation can lead to cleaner environments and economic growth. Finally, it is the responsibility of every stakeholder of a city to ensure that good environmental practices are adopted because the cost of pollution affects everyone, just like the benefits of a good environment.
References
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