Globalisation (Case Studies)

Question 1

Pollution and health problems in China:

Answer 1

• Beijing has frequent pollution alerts
• 70% of lakes are polluted, exaggerating water shortages
• Industrial towns where rates of cancer are so high are becoming known as “cancer villages”
• 1/4 of water is so dangerously polluted it cannot even be used for industrial purposes

Question 2

Percentage of land degregation in China

Answer 2

40% of all land is degraded

Question 3

Loss of biodiversity in China

Answer 3

Terrestrial vertebrates have declined by 50%

Question 4

Impacts of deindustrialisation in Rust Belt regions

Answer 4

• Economic decline due to loss of manufacturing jobs which provided stability for communities
• Population lost as people move away in search for employment elsewhere
• Dereliction of old factories and industrial sites became symbols for economic decline, contributing to urban blight. They also created environmental and safety hazards and reduce property values

Question 5

Where does recycling help the environment?

Answer 5

Sweden
- Recycles 995 of waste and burns it, which produces heat for 800k homes, however it does produce harmful gases.
- Recycling stations are no longer than 300 meters from any residential areas

Question 6

Where does recycling damage the environment?

Answer 6

Taiwan
- Recycled steel buil;dings sometimes give off gfamma radiation due to contamination from another metal
- Worldwide = Burning rubbish = harmful gases and air pollution. And the trucks that come to collect it use petrol and diesel

Question 7

Why is Bangalore an emerging economy?

Answer 7

• Home to 10 million people
• The global shift in IT services and business product output to Bangalore employs 1 million
• There are 1200 IT companies here, and increasing due to the multiplier effect
• It also has some of India’s best schools and universities, meaning that TNCs have access to graduates
• English is the main professional language
• Tax incentives, however this leads to pressure on infrastructure due to a shortfall in tax revenue

Question 8

Socio-economic impacts in Bangalore

Answer 8

• Emerging middle class
• House prices are increasing, putting pressure on locals
• Shops and shopping malls are opening to allow people to buy consumer goods. Western influences are growing which could lead to cultural erosion.

Question 9

Environmental impacts in Bangalore

Answer 9

• Demand for resources is 50% higher than supply
• Bangalore was once known for its lakes, 100 lakes has fallen to just 17
• Water supplies, electricity and sewage services struggle to keep up with demand

Question 10

Migration Case study in London

Answer 10

• Elite migrants
• in 2014, 82% of house buyers in central London were foreign. Many from Qatar and Russia
• high demand for housing is causing property price inflation, making central London too expensive for most Londoners.
• However, elite migration is bringing investments to London.

Question 11

Low wage migration to Qatar and the UAE

Answer 11

• Both countries are potential areas of growth, and due to a small population, 90% of workforce is migrant, mostly Indian and Pakistani
• Many of these workers risk deportation after their contract
• Both countries underwent rapid building of infrastructure
• International tourism helps to drive this
• there is a speculation on safety as there is a high level of work place accidents among migrants

Question 12

Internal migration in New Delhi

Answer 12

• Population has grown 40% between 2010 and 2014 due to natural increase and Rural-Urban migration
• FDI is allowing new jobs to be created, which is attracting rural-urban migrants
• However, rural migrants often end up in slums
• Large scale migration puts lots of pressure on city infrastructure