E C O L O G I C A L F O O T P R I N T Ecological Footprint, Carbon Footprint, Biocapacity, & Overshoot ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT § compares total resources people consume with land & water area that is needed to replace those resources & absorb CO2 emissions § indicator of human pressure on nature § gives an estimate of area in hectares (acres or Earths) that is required for a human to live based on his or her lifestyle Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 2 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 3 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 4 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 5 E C O L O G I C A L F O O T P R I N T § individual’s Ecological Footprint varies significantly depending on # of factors, § country of residence (government services) § quantity of goods & services they consume § resources used & waste generated to provide these goods and services Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 6 E C O L O G I C A L F O O T P R I N T Example: Driving a car requires built land for roads, parking & so on, as well as a large amount of forested 'energy' land to re-absorb the carbon emissions generated from petrol use. In addition, energy & materials are used for construction & maintenance of the vehicle. Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 7 R E D U C I N G F O O T P R I N T § Because of large area of land or sea needed to raise livestock & catch fish, eating less meat & fish could reduce your food footprint by up to 40%. § Individual who eats locally grown food reduces their overall Footprint by decreasing amount of energy needed to transport their food. Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 8 CARBON FOOTPRINT § how much fossil fuel you use & amount of green house gases you emit § many different greenhouse gases convert to tonnes or kilograms of equivalent CO2 § carbon component of ecological footprint takes slightly differing approach § translates amount of CO2 into amount of productive land & sea area required to sequester (absorb) CO2 emissions § demand on planet that results from burning fossil fuels Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 9 B I O C A P A C I T Y § biological capacity - area of land & sea available to serve a particular use § represents biosphere’s ability to meet human demand for material consumption & waste disposal Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 10 how much nations consume versus how much they actually have Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 11 http://ingienous.com/?page_id=3876 World Total Biocapacity: 1.78 gha per capita World Ecological Footprint of Consumption: 2.69 gha per capita (i.e. we are using more resources than the Earth can provide.) Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 12 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 13 WORLD ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT: TOP 10 In global hectares per person (gha/person) Qatar – wealthy from oil; citizens provided with free electricity & free water (desalinization) U.S. - love of road trips, suspicion of public transit, & growing energy demands fuel country's high per-capita carbon emissions Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 14 how much nations consume versus how much they actually have Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 15 U.S. vs. WORLD ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINTS http:// storymaps.esri.com/ /globalfootprint/ Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 16 WORLD ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT § if everyone lived like an average § Indonesian: only 2/3 of planet’s biocapacity would be used § Argentinean: humanity would demand > ½ an additional planet § USA resident: 4 Earths would be required to regenerate humanity’s annual demand on nature Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 17 O V E R S H O O T § point where human consumption & waste production exceed nature`s capacity to create new resources & absorb waste. § Earth's regenerative capacity can no longer keep up with demand - people are turning resources into waste faster than nature can turn waste back into resources. § "Humanity is living off its ecological credit card” - Mathis Wackernagel, director of Global Footprint Network Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 18 O V E R S H O O T § 1972: humans were using 85% of regenerative capacity of biosphere to support economic activities such as growing food, producing goods & assimilating pollutants § 1970s, humanity passed point at which annual Ecological Footprint matched Earth’s annual biocapacity Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 19 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 20 O V E R S H O O T § Now: 150% & growing § 1.5 planets to support us § it takes the Earth one year & six months to regenerate what we use in a year § We will need two Earth's resources by 2030… § ...But 4.5 if everyone consumes like the U.S. & other rich nations Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 21 O V E R S H O O T § current overshoot is largely due to carbon emissions Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 22 O V E R S H O O T § greenhouse gases are being emitted twice as fast as oceans & forests can absorb them. Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 23 CARBON FOOTPRINT § 54% of humanity’s overall Ecological Footprint & its most rapidly-growing component Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 24 WORLD ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 25 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 26 P O P U L A T I O N E C O L O G Y § If we want to achieve sustainability, we need to focus on 2 things: § our own lifestyle § government services Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 27 Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 28 ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT § Take the ecological quiz at http://www.footprintnetwork.org/en/ index.php/GFN/page/calculators/ (linked on Ms. Manzella’s Teacher page) § Click on reduce your footprint. Read through the list & write down 3 you might consider doing § Fill out & cut out your ecological footprint § Explore website - Footprint Basics § Retake quiz using other countries as your home base Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 29 ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 30 ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 31 W H A T I S S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y ? S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y § environmental sustainability - ability to meet humanity’s current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs § environment will function indefinitely without going into decline from stresses that human society imposes on natural systems that maintain life Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 33 S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y § Consider the effects of our actions § Understand that Earth’s resources are limited § Understand ALL the costs of the products we consume § Each of us has a responsibility Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 34 S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y § Human behavior that is not sustainable § using nonrenewable resources as if we have an infinite supply § using renewable resources faster than they can be replenished naturally § polluting the environment § increasing human population Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 35 S U S T A I N A B I L I T Y § sustainable development – economic growth that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own economic needs § sustainable consumption – use of goods and services that satisfy basic human needs and improve the quality of life but that also minimize the use of resources. Ecological Footprint & Sustainability 36 .