Urbanisation and human wellbeing

• This resource is of significant value in supporting the Geography curriculum for years 8 and 10, particularly for the content description in Changing nations referring to the causes and consequences of urbanisation, drawing on a study from Indonesia; and the content descriptions in Geographies of human wellbeing referring to the reasons for and consequences of spatial variations in human wellbeing on a regional scale within a country of the Asia region; and the role of international and national government and non-government organisations; initiatives in improving human wellbeing in Australia and other countries. The resource discusses some of the reasons for people moving to a megacity and also looks at the inequality of wealth and its effect on where people live within Jakarta. It describes the work of AusAID and World Vision to empower communities and improve the wellbeing of people living in poverty. It is also of value in supporting two Senior Secondary Geography units. The resource is relevant to Natural and ecological hazards in describing the problem of flooding in Jakarta caused by a combination of a number of factors: its many rivers and canals, high ocean tides, low-lying topography, clogged sewage pipes and waterways, and increased ground run-off from urban sprawl upstream. It looks at mitigation measures including a flood mitigation project initiated by the World Bank to dredge and rehabilitate the city's 11 flood-ways and canals. Being concerned with the challenges facing the process of urbanisation in terms of sustainability and liveability, the resource is relevant to Sustaining places. It may be useful as an introduction to the depth study focusing on challenges faced by a megacity in a developing country. The resource supports the Sustainability cross-curriculum priority, particularly the organising ideas about sustainable patterns of living relying on the interdependence of healthy social, economic and ecological systems; and the sustainability of ecological, social and economic systems being achieved through informed individual and community action that values local and global equity and fairness. It is also relevant to the Asia and Australias engagement with Asia cross-curriculum priority, particularly the organising idea that Australians play a significant role in social, cultural, political and economic developments in the Asia region.

8; 9; 10; 11; 12