Environmental Case Studies
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Environmental Case Studies Not Always a Pretty Face: Urban Growth versus the Environment in the Pacific lslands L Airborne pollulion in Noumeo. The Global Situation AREA SERV€O BY THE SPREP + -50 ++ b to urDao ^6 FPUrorron The negative impact of human activ- +++ - 6;' ity on a global scale is sorely evident, especially in densely populated ur- ban areas. Despite their relatively small populations, the Pacific island countries have not escaped this trend. -'r--1. WALLTS SAMOA r \ i , er . r *" ho' FRENCH POLYNESIA\ It is in the fast-growing v!ruuaru\+ ^^.:r.pmort#fig'. ++ '\ major towns t'if-.::.1#.^ ei,Fd, ' .*, 9i;* ' +lirli.ros"^^, .o",r, and cities in the region that the envi- ! ",,usoor .,.,.-, I eo' ronment has suffered the most se- | ,,,,,. vere damage, because ofthe concen- sourH PACtFtc ocE,anr ---a____-r- tration of damaging factors, and the A IJ ST RA LIA primarily coastal siting of urban ar- C l&Nr.6t €q!ilor NEW ZEALANO eas (l )-(2)-(3). The total Pacific island countries' Urbanisation impacts on all factors drier than their rural surroundings, population seems modest compared which, in any given place, govern the and that this is often due to the to elsewhere in the globe (6.6 mil- well-being and characteristics of liv- proliferation of impermeable sur- lion, including Hawaii, in 1985). How- ing things. Soils and relief are faces, Vegetation in towns becomes ever, some countries have high changed. Natural slope erosion can poorer, first in quantity and then in urbanisation rates (Nauru, Guam, be temporarily increased l0 or 50 quality. Then the only survivors are Hawaii, Northern Marianas are over times by construction -related activi- undemanding, fast-growing plants 80%; French Polynesia, New ties. Sedimentation caused by run- that tolerate urban conditions. The Caledonia, Palau and the Marshalls off can have severe consequences cyclone hazard requires tall trees to are 5 0 to 60%). At the other extreme, on the function of wetlands down be cut down to avoid the risk of Papua New Cuinea's urban popula- stream. Undisturbed wetlands nor- damage if they are blown over. tion is under I 5% of its total, and mally regulate lhe drainage of the Solomon lslands is barely l0%. heaviest rains and act as a natural However greenery is not just attrac- treatment plant for waste water. lf tive: it also has many benefits. lt More often than not, the capital is the tlrey are filled in, coastalwater pollu- reduces noise and heat. lt acts as a country's only significant town, and iion can be aggravated [:y the direct wind- break and reduces evapora- self-stifling effects accentuate diffi- outflow of effluent. tion, improving the tjalance between culties in development planning, and heat and humidity. The main advan- the resulting environmental degra- The accumulation of many industrial tage of having trees in an urban dation. Mostof thesetowns could and organic waste in town soils has environment, however, is to create see their population double been investigated many times. different micro-climates for evapo- by the end of this decade. transpiration which, especially in It has been known since the I 8th tropical climates, are sources of com- Published by the century that towns are hotter and fort for town inhabitants. South Pocitic Regionol Environment Progromme (SPREP) OO The first "environmental revolution" last century paved the way for an unprecedented expansion of the larg- est cities in the industrialised coun- (l:tlje.l'iilil LJfi ore tries. This was made possible by orrd lc'.):,'rr mastering four factors which are criti- tLlcl.-i.f ritll.iT l cal rn maintaining an adequate envi- ronment for harmonious growth. housing, water supply, waste water disposal and solid waste disposal. Poor control over these in the towns of developing countries does not stop them growing, but leads to en- vironmental danrage, which jeopar- dizes these cities' very future. In Micronesia and Polynesia, the larger islands of Fiji and some small islarrds of Melanesia high urban popu- lations along the coasts can cause a range of attacks on the environment. Population growth, and internal mi- nearby mari ne environment on wl-r ich The population of Tarawa, for ex- gration, has quickly worsened this these towns depend, in varying de- ample, is mostly concentrated on damage on the atolls, some of which g rees. this atoll's urbanised southern motus, have very high population densities gathering one third of the popula- rn a fragile natural environment. The forecasted effects of global cli- tion of Kiribati. This population has mate change on coastal zones are an increased more than tenfold in the Similarly, in the main high islands other challenge with the already past thirty years, from under 2,000 the development of historic capitals pressing threat of rapid urbanisation, in I 950 to over 21 ,000 in I 985, In around the major port has encour- especially on atolls. some localities, the population den- aged trade and industry. There is sity is almost 8,000 inhabitants per often similar development around The challenge of change, as shown sq. km (4). the international airport, if the to- by the urgency of saving environ- pography allows it. ments jeopardized by urban spread Thethree motus of DUD(Dalap, Uliga, in Pacific islands, can only be met by Darrit) forming Majuro, in the Marshall Finally, in most Pacific islands, urban education and a voluntary coalition lslands, contain almost half the development has disturbed the between the community and the country's population, with a density policy -makers. The former is the key nearing 20,000 people per sq.km. 2. Urbonisotion in norlheosl Guom. to a collective awakening and to controlling population growth. The In the same country, on Ebeye, more latter are needed to give public inter- than 9,000 islanders have in recent est precedence over individual greed years been living in a 30 ha urban and selfishness, and to restore com- area in even worse overcrowding, munity spirit and resources on which since the people of Kwajalein were the survival of previous island popu- relocated here when the huge lations depended. Kwajalein lagoon began its use for U.5. military purposes. The Atoll Situation In the early 70s, the circumstances The limited resources of the atolls of the Micronesian atolls, with settle- and their fragile natural environment ments destined to become towns, make these islands incompatible with was far from encouraging. Water urban spread. Today, many Pacific supply was non-existent and people atolls, especially in Micronesia, show relied solely on collecting rainwater. high urbanisation rates. These ur- There was no waste water treatment ban centres are constantly increas- plants or sanitation system anywhere ing in pressure on land resources in the country. The most common (especially groundwater) and inshore arrangement was latrines on stilts lagoon resources. As with other over the lagoon (5). There was no islands, these towns offer attractive organised household waste collec- facilities, and paying jobs. This tion service, even though waste pro- favours rapid growth, by adding mi- duction greatly increased. gratory movements to already strong natural population growth. cf 2 r, Hurried action in response to a dete- riorating natural environment which 4. Domoge lo ih': had become hazardous for humans shore ln lvlojuro was not totally satisfactory. For ex- ample, a cholera epidenric on Tarawa caused about a hundred deaths. This led to the construction of a drainage system channelling untreated waste water into the ocean (between I 976 and 1983), coupled with shared la- trines, using a saltwater gravity-feed system. There is still serious faecal pollution in the lagoon. Population increases and the continuing use of the lagoon for subsistence fishing 5. The lhreot of drove up morbidity and mortality, in unsuitoble sonilolion on Torowo. children particularly, from intestinal infections. This was worsened when a permanent road link was built be- tween Bonrikiand Betio motus, which now hinders water circulation be- tween ocean and lagoon in this sec- tion of the atoll. s,:F."" dlri There are also problems with sup- . plies of drinking water. The sweet 6. Aloll fresh woler: o water lenses of the motus sustaining scorce ond urban development in South Tarawa vulneroble resource are now polluted and too brackish to (Torowo) drink. From I 982, the supply had to be supplemented by water pumped from the atoll's northern motus. which needed chlorination. Since today's needs are only barely cov- ered, plans are emerging to go back to water storage in tanks at every house. This option, which prevailed in all atolls before partially giving way pumped to a supply, also ap- Water supply reflects the same reali- The atoll's inhabitants protested, fol- pears to be the best preparation for ties. The lens is polluted. Now that lowing destruction caused by a tropi- the gradual changes needed con- to it is unusable, it must be replaced by cal cyclone in 1988, and a relaxation serve groundwater resources if sea water from the airport runway in the military regulations governing levels global rise due to climate catchment, by pumped supply from life on the atoll. This led to the change (6). distant, non-urbanised motus, and creation of a management body re- by desalinating seawater. sponsible for restructuring the ur- Lastly, solid waste management is ban zone. Ebeye is to be linked to 6 another unresolved issue. This waste Ebeye is a similar, if not worse ex- other motus by a causeway, which builds up along the coastlines and ample, but one which concerted ac- will double the land area available. worsens the pollution of the lagoon. tion is now relieving.