ASIA-PACIFIC 2005 The Ecological Footprint and Natural Wealth ountries in Asia and the Pacific have made a firm nor extended worldwide without causing additional consumed like an average American or European?” We commitment to sustainable development. We want life-threatening damage to the global environment have only one planet, yet all people want, and have the Ca better quality of life for all, while safeguarding the and increasing social inequity. right to, fulfilling lives. The challenge for high income Earth’s capacity to support life in all its diversity and This report is a call for action, not just for the policy countries is to radically reduce footprint while maintaining respecting the limits of the planet’s natural resources. How community, but for the scientific and business com- quality of life. For lasting improvements in their quality of can we achieve this in the face of growing populations and munities as well. It echoes what the Millennium Ecosystem life, lower income countries are facing the complementary changing consumption patterns, both within the region Assessment found: that the health of natural systems has challenge of finding new paths to development that can and the world? a profound impact on our quality of life, but 60 percent of provide best living conditions without liquidating their As a first step to answering this question, we need to the ecosystem services that support life on Earth are being ecological wealth. know where we are today. How does the Asia-Pacific degraded or used unsustainably. This report provides a The Asia-Pacific region is in a unique position to shape region’s current demand for ecological resources compare frank assessment of what is at stake for Asia and the the development model for the whole world in the coming to the region’s (and the planet’s) supply? How does it Pacific and for the rest of the world. The Millennium decades. I support this report’s attempt to establish a compare to other regions? How do countries in the region Development Goals will not be achieved if we do not quantitative link between ecosystem health and human differ from one another in both demand for and supply of address sustainability in development. prosperity, and I welcome forward-thinking initiatives and ecological resources? We can begin to address the Many still believe that the environment is some kind of actions such as this one by WWF. sustainability challenge by exploring the implications of our separate luxury item that can be addressed after economic current and proposed future development paths for development. This is the opposite of the truth. The regional and global ecosystems. environment is the base of all human activities, and the The results of the Ecological Footprint analysis ultimate source of all our wealth. Poverty, environment and presented in this report are an invitation to look harder at consumption are all linked. How much nature does it take humanity’s and the Asia-Pacific region’s critical dilemma. It to support us? This is a question we can no longer afford is also a poignant reminder that consumptive lifestyles in to ignore. North America and Europe, largely based on cheap fuel To pose a hypothetical question: “How many planets Professor Emil Salim and exporting environmental costs, cannot be maintained would it take if everybody in Asia and the Pacific Former Indonesian Minister of State CONTENTS Asia-Pacific Region 2005: WWF AUTHORS 4. WWF INTERNATIONAL 1 The Ecological Footprint and Natural Wealth 1 (also known as World Wildlife Mathis Wackernagel Avenue du Mont-Blanc Fund in the USA and Canada) Justin Kitzes1 1196 Gland is one of the world’s largest and Deborah Cheng1 Switzerland Measuring Progress most experienced independent Steven Goldfinger1 www.panda.org 1 Towards Sustainability 3 conservation organizations, James Espinas with almost 5 million supporters Dan Moran2 5. KADOORIE FARM AND and a global network active in Chad Monfreda3 BOTANIC GARDEN The Global Context 4 100 countries. WWF’s mission Jonathan Loh4 Lam Kam Road is to stop the degradation of Dermot O’Gorman4 Tai Po the planet’s natural environment Idy Wong5 Hong Kong, China The Living Planet Index 6 and to build a future in which www.kfbg.org humans live in harmony CONTRIBUTORS with nature. Tom Crompton Published in December 2005 Asia-Pacific’s Ecological Footprint 8 Babar Naseem Khan by WWF–World Wide Fund Sam Lee For Nature (formerly World Country Profiles 10 GLOBAL FOOTPRINT Lin Li Wildlife Fund). NETWORK Anil Manandhar Global promotes a sustainable Dr T R Manoharan Any reproduction in full or in part Living on One Planet 12 Footprint economy by advancing the Dennis Pamlin of this publication must mention Network Ecological Footprint, a tool Jamie Pittock the title and credit the above- that makes sustainability Peter Ramshaw mentioned publisher as the Asia-Pacific: Transformation to Sustainability 14 measurable. Together with Will Reidhead copyright owner. its partners, the Network Gordon Shepherd coordinates research, develops Tien-ake Tiyapongpattana © text and graphics 2005 WWF Table: Asia-Pacific’s Ecological methodological standards, and Ed Tongson All rights reserved Footprint and Biocapacity 18 provides decision makers with Paul Toni robust resource accounts to Pip Walsh ISBN: 2-88085-269-2 help the human economy Angie Woo FAQs 20 operate within the Earth’s Chunquan Zhu A BANSON Production ecological limits. Xinqing Zou 17E Sturton Street Technical Notes 21 Cambridge CB1 2QG, UK KADOORIE FARM AND BOTANIC GARDEN 1. GLOBAL FOOTPRINT Editors: Christine Hawkins References and Data Sources 26 KFBG exists to increase the NETWORK Angela Jameson awareness of our relationship 3270 Lakeshore Avenue Diagrams and maps: with the environment and bring Oakland CA 94610, USA David Burles about positive change in the www.footprintnetwork.org John-Paul Shirreffs world through conservation Design: John-Paul Shirreffs NOTE ON “ASIA-PACIFIC” and education. 2. LUND/LUSEM Throughout this report, except where otherwise stated, “Asia-Pacific” refers PO Box 170 to: Australia; Bangladesh; Cambodia; China; India; Indonesia; Japan; Korea, SE-221 00 Lund, Sweden www.lumes.lu.se Printed in Switzerland by DPR; Korea, Rep; Lao PDR; Malaysia; Mongolia; Myanmar; Nepal; New Ropress on Aconda Verd Zealand; Pakistan; Papua New Guinea; Philippines; Sri Lanka; Thailand; and 3. SAGE Silk FSC, 40% recycled Viet Nam. University of Wisconsin fibre and 60% virgin wood fibre, at 1710 University Avenue least 50% of which is certified in The material and the geographical designations in this report do not imply Madison WI 53726, USA accordance with the rules of FSC, the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of WWF concerning www.sage.wisc.edu using vegetable-oil-based inks. the legal status of any country, territory, or area, or concerning the SGS-COC-0474. © 1996 Forest delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Stewardship Council AC MEASURING PROGRESS TOWARDS SUSTAINABILITY As a planet, we are living beyond our ecological means. Although borders and, simultaneously, drawing down its own stocks expensive the future investment required to maintain these the global economy and population continue to grow, our planet of ecological assets. Reversing these trends means shifting assets will be. Prompt action also reduces the risk that critical remains the same size. to sustainable development — improving the quality of human ecosystems will be eroded beyond the point at which they can Over 30 years ago, the report Limits to Growth created an life while remaining within the carrying capacity of our easily recover. If overshoot continues and both the Asia-Pacific international controversy when its computer-generated scenarios supporting ecosystems. region’s and the world’s ecological debt keeps accumulating, suggested that the human economy would soon exceed the Reducing pressure on ecosystems, however, is only possible choices narrow. A vicious cycle ensues, with continuing resource Earth’s carrying capacity, leading to a decrease in industrial output if done in fair and just ways — the alternative is increasing local, use becoming ever more dependent on the liquidation of and a decline in well-being in the mid-21st century. regional, and global conflict. The resource crunch may not be felt shrinking ecological assets. Overshoot is no longer an hypothesis but a reality. As shown in yet in the wealthy centres of the Asia-Pacific region, where There are opportunities to break out of this downward spiral. WWF’s Living Planet Report, humanity’s annual demand for resource consumption is still increasing. Many of the 5.2 billion The right kind of investments can encourage innovations for resources is now exceeding the Earth’s regenerative capacity by people living in low- and middle-income countries, including 3.3 sustainability in the areas of food, health, nature management, more than 20 per cent. Humanity can maintain this overdraft only billion in Asia and the Pacific, however, have been facing an transportation and shelter. A green-energy future and resource by liquidating the planet’s natural resources. involuntary decline in their quality of life. Addressing this growing efficient urban design will play an increasing important role in The Asia-Pacific region will play an increasingly central role in social disparity is critical to achieving the Millennium Development achieving a thriving Asia-Pacific region. addressing overshoot as the region’s population and economy Goals, improving global security and ensuring the well-being of all. As we embark on this path of sustainable development, we continue to grow in a world with limited resources. The statistics But in an increasingly globalized economy, responsibility for re- need ways to know how far we have come and how far we still reinforce this notion: more than 50 per cent of the world’s shaping Asian growth trajectories to address environmental need to go.