Alpha City

global city is an alpha city with an economic, ecological, political and social influence over the world. In 1950, they were 83 cities with over a million people; by 2000 they were over 400. But how do these alphas cities manage society? And how do global cities include ecology as a form of power? I will first focus on living in a global city and then I will highlight the different ecological challenges these cities have to face.

Living in a global city has many attractions, especially if you love the tumult of crowds and the daily life that characterizes it. However, live in an alpha city is not always rosy. Let’s take a look at these upsides and downsides so that we can get a sense of life in a global city.

First of all, in urban areas, everything is close by. Accessibility to services is much easier, especially for administrative procedures or shops are plentiful and everything is within reach without real constraints of distance or time.

Also, being in an alpha city means being in the center of a hub. Car, subway, tram, bus, carpooling, travel will no longer be a problem. Depending on his desires and his constraints, he can, therefore, travel the city without worrying about the « quickest way not to be late » or even « the most profitable means of transport »: there is the embarrassment of choice!

Finally, the advantage of big cities is above all its accessibility to leisure! How do I keep the young kids or take my whole little family to a nice place to spend the afternoon? Alphas City has a range of activities that allow people to enjoy themselves. Amusement park (Asterix, Disney…), cinema, restaurants (Bocuse, Cyril Lignac), museums (Louvres), parks, etc…

However, the growth of urban concentrations and urban sprawl have given rise to several issues over the years. First, dense populations have caused overcrowding, traffic congestion, and air pollution because of people’s carbon footprint when they're commuting.

Other problems such as smog (which is a mix of smoke and fog) persist in large cities where pollution is extremely high. And although some air pollution problems such as smog in London, for example, have been overcome there is still progress to be made.

Moreover, living in an alpha city can be a source of stress for residents. Even though Singapore’s GDP is one of the highest in the world, the city has the reputation of being the most unhappy city in the world. According to various studies, people’s feelings of respect, happiness or fullness are those mentioned last, in contrast to feelings of stress, inequality, exhaustion and professional uncertainty. With the highest percentage of millionaires in the world, residents feel discouraged and say "How can you feel happy when you are only just getting by but at the same time you see others in your country earning millions and living the high life ?". And so the city was given the sad nickname "playground for the rich"

However, over the years, some global cities have decided to change their world view and their bad habits to act for the planet. Many green initiatives have been taken around the world. Japan, the USA, Great Britain, and China are increasingly trying to improve their lives in their midst. In Sweden, for example, public transport, such as buses or trams, uses sawdust to limit CO2 emissions and

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