Earth Overshoot Day – 23 September 2008

Tuesday 23 September was Earth Overshoot Day: the day humanity used all the resources nature will generate this year according to the Global Footprint Network (GFN). Beyond Earth Overshoot day, we move into the ecological equivalent of deficit spending, utilizing resources at a faster rate than the planet can regenerate in a calendar year. Humanity’s first Earth Overshoot Day was 31 December, 1986. This day has gradually moved forward over the years, and now our rate of overshoot stands at 40 percent more than the planet can renewably supply. Globally, we now demand the biological capacity of 1.4 planets, according to the GFN.

The Global Footprint Network is a Key Indicator Partner of the 2010 Biodiversity Indicators Partnership. The GFN has developed the Ecological Footprint, a widely used indicator, which measures humanity’s demand on the biosphere in terms of the area of biologically productive land and sea required to provide the resources we use and to absorb our waste. This indicator falls under the ‘Sustainable Use' focal area for assessing progress towards the 2010 biodiversity target at a global level.

To find out more about Earth Overshoot Day 2008 click here.

Posted: 24 September 2008

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