This post is also available in: Spanish
SInce several decades ago, there is an indicator measuring the utilization of natural resources. This indicator is a specific calendar date: the day on which human´s resources consumption for the years exceeds Earth´s capacity to regenerate those resources that year. That day is called “Earth Overshoot Day“,
The indicator, attributed to Global Footprint Network, changes every year according to this formula:
Earth Overshoot Day = (World biocapacity / World ecological footprint) x 365
- World biocapacity: Earth´s surface and available water to produce renewable resources;
- Ecological footprint: Earth´s surface and water needed to absorb our waste and regenerate the used resources;
- 365: number of days in one Gregorian calendar year;
In 2013, Earth Overshoot Day was on august the 23th, which is a new alltime precocity record, overcoming the questionable honour reached on 21st august 2010 and 22nd august 2012.
This is the devastating evolution since this indicator started to come before december 31st:
1987 → 19 december
1990 → 7 december
1995 → 21 november
2000 → 1 november
2005 → 20 october
2008 → 23 septiembre
2009 → 25 september
2010 → 21 august
2011 → 27 september
2012 → 22 august
2013 → 20 august
Among the main factors of this unbalance -global demographic growing, efficiency and amount of manufactured products- there is one standing out in a decisive way: the disproportionate consumption of resources. No measure will be effective until no action is done on this aspect.
This video shows it in a very graphic manner, with curious data such as the contribution from each world block to this indicator. Maybe you will find some surprises….
I think these are self-explaining data. Don´t you?.