Which statement captures Heynen's view on urban environments?

Which statement captures Heynen's view on urban environments?

• A. Urban environments are solely shaped by natural processes.
• B. Access to environmental resources is uniform across cities.
• C. Cities have no environmental inequality.
• D. Urban environments are shaped by power, inequality, and capitalism leading to environmental injustice.

Answer: (D)

Heynen argues that cities are created through social and political forces, not just by natural processes. The way land is used, infrastructure is built, and resources are allocated is shaped by who has power in planning, investment, and policy. Because capitalism drives uneven development, environmental conditions in urban areas fall along lines of class, race, and economic status. This means certain communities bear heavier environmental burdens—like pollution, heat, and flood risk—while others gain more environmental benefits, such as cleaner air, parks, and reliable services. Environmental injustice arises when these power dynamics produce unequal exposure to hazards and unequal access to environmental resources. So, the statement that best captures Heynen’s view is that urban environments are shaped by power, inequality, and capitalism leading to environmental injustice. The other ideas—seeing cities as governed by natural processes alone, assuming uniform access to resources, or denying any environmental inequality—don’t fit this perspective.

Heynen argues that cities are created through social and political forces, not just by natural processes. The way land is used, infrastructure is built, and resources are allocated is shaped by who has power in planning, investment, and policy. Because capitalism drives uneven development, environmental conditions in urban areas fall along lines of class, race, and economic status. This means certain communities bear heavier environmental burdens—like pollution, heat, and flood risk—while others gain more environmental benefits, such as cleaner air, parks, and reliable services. Environmental injustice arises when these power dynamics produce unequal exposure to hazards and unequal access to environmental resources. So, the statement that best captures Heynen’s view is that urban environments are shaped by power, inequality, and capitalism leading to environmental injustice. The other ideas—seeing cities as governed by natural processes alone, assuming uniform access to resources, or denying any environmental inequality—don’t fit this perspective.