What Are the Positive Effects of Urbanization?
The primary benefits of urbanization are a sustained economy and a centralized population. Recent developments in countries in which large, planned cities are being built to accommodate the demand for urban locations have also revealed environmental advantages to urbanization. Increased populations also drive governments to improve public transportation and services within cities.
China is emerging as a model for positive, sustainable urbanization. The mass migration of workers from rural areas to urban centers is a crucial factor in the country’s current economic health. When people move to urban areas, the demand for goods and services, which is usually already high in more populated areas, increases even more. The increased supply and demand stabilizes economic markets.
Additionally, increased urbanization inspires city planners to think more creatively in reducing carbon footprints. China, in particular, is earning praise for designing large, low-carbon cities. In a country in which pollution is already a grave concern, such attention to environmental matters is crucial to the success of future urbanization. Much of China’s public transportation in larger urban areas has been improved for higher efficiency. The centralize populations also create larger workforce pools for corporations and make it easier for the former rural poor to find work and increase their standard of living.
