Issue: Pressures created by human settlements on the environment - Patterns of settlement
This is an issue under the Human settlements theme of the Data Reporting System.
Why we need to know about this issue
Human settlements exert pressure on the environment by extracting resources from it and by generating wastes and emissions. As population grows and human settlements expand the demands for resources as well as the amount of wastes generated increase. The form and pattern of a settlement influence its environmental performance and thereby determine the amount of pressure exerted by the settlement on the environment.
Indicators
- HS-06 Population density patterns in major cities
Population density in major cities is an aspect of settlement patterns that has major implications for the environment of settlements. - HS-30 Average size of new residential lots in capital cities
The average size of residential lots in capital cities is a surrogate indicator for density patterns in cities. The balance between residential lot size, dwelling floor size and population size contribute to the population density in settlements. - HS-51 Average floor area of new dwellings
The size of newly built dwellings is an indicator of the liveability of human settlements. This indicates the amount of living space that is available for the inhabitants and will have an effect on settlement density, resource use and energy use. - HS-78 Housing demand
Demand for housing is an indicator of the pressure to build more housing, placing increasing pressure on the environment through the direct displacement of habitats and as a result of increasing other pressures of human settlements.
Related issues
Key
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Links to data in the DRS
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