Urbanization refers to the movement of population from the countryside to cities. It is the process by which towns and cities are formed and how existing ones become larger as more and more people begin to live and work in central areas in the hope of enjoying a better standard of living. The United Nations predicts that around 86% of the developed world and 64% of the developing world will be urbanized by 2050. This equates to around 3 billion urban dwellers, much of whom will be found in Asia and Africa . Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Urbanization is considered the most important factor in bringing about environmental changes. Urbanization driven by economic growth tends to have profound environmental consequences. Many studies show that the urbanization occurring around the world has been unplanned, uncontrolled and harmful to the environment. And this is a problem. This transforms concerns that exist at a local level (such as drainage problems), to a regional level (such as river pollution) which ultimately causes problems globally through marine pollution. One of the biggest challenges we humans face in today's expanding city life is environmental degradation. The urban population has no choice but to interact with their environment. In doing so, they modify their environment through the consumption and use of resources such as food, water, energy and land. And in turn, this polluted environment affects the quality and overall health of people. The ever-increasing population and demands of the urban lifestyle have led to poor air and water quality, lack of sufficient water and waste disposal problems; and high energy consumption. Energy consumption for cooking, heating, electricity, vehicles and industries is increasing day by day despite enormous technological progress. And this increase in energy consumption will likely have disastrous effects on the environment. The high emission of sulfur dioxide and smoke caused by industries and factories is highly dangerous. The use of fossil fuels such as coal and gasoline to generate electricity is increasing, which not only increases air pollutants but also greenhouse gas emissions. This leads to the formation of smog. Cloudiness and fog occur more frequently and increase acid rain precipitation. This increases the risk of water pollution and flooding. Greenhouse gas is ultimately responsible for global warming and climate change. Another dangerous aspect of urbanization is deforestation. While deforestation increases air, water and soil pollution; it also affects wildlife which in turn disturbs the entire ecology and ecosystem. So, is urbanization beneficial or destructive to the environment? This is the million dollar question. Even though we may have long debates and endless discussions about it, yet there doesn't seem to be an alternative nowadays. However, the relationship between urbanization and the environment is not always directly proportional. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom article from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Large urban cities do not always create major environmental problems as long as they are properly planned and managed; and even small urban centers can cause big problems if adequate management is lacking. This means that the behavior, resource consumption and living patterns of human beings define the type of.