We explain what the ecological footprint is, how it is calculated and its classification. We also explain its characteristics, its importance and what ecological overshoot is.
The ecological footprint is used to measure the sustainability of human activities.
What is the ecological footprint?
The ecological footprint (ecological footprintin English) is an indicator that measures the human impact on the environmentThis concept was first introduced by Mathis Wackernagel and William Rees in 1996. It is a key indicator for measuring the sustainability of human activities and assessing their impact on nature.
The ecological footprint measures the amount of natural resources used to produce the goods and services consumedas well as the amount of waste and polluting gases generated. The unit of measurement used is the hectare, since it represents the surface area necessary to sustain economic activities for one year.
In this way, the ecological footprint allows establish comparisons between the impact, risk and benefit of certain human activities or certain forms of social organization.
Depending on the scale used, the ecological footprint of a country, a city, a factory or a person can be measured. Today, for example, it is estimated that each person on Earth needs 2.7 hectares of land to meet their needs for an entire year.
Frequent questions
What is the ecological footprint?
It is an indicator that measures both the amount of resources used to manufacture consumer goods and services, as well as the waste and pollution generated by the manufacturing process.
What is the objective of knowing the ecological footprint?
Dimension the negative impact that human activity generates on the planet to reduce or reverse it through sustainable actions.
What would be an example of measuring the ecological footprint?
The calculation of the ecological footprint generated by the manufacture of a cell phone (without considering the impact of its subsequent use) includes aspects such as:
- The amount of raw materials and energy, such as technological inputs, minerals, transportation and distribution.
- Waste generated during the manufacturing process, such as chemicals, ecosystem deterioration due to mineral extraction, and carbon emissions, among other waste.
What does the ecological footprint measure?
The concept of ecological footprint emerged in 1996 from the studies of William Rees and Mathis Wackernagel. These scientists were interested in finding a unique ecological concept that would allow measure the sustainability of human life forms and their direct and indirect relationship with natural renewal capacities.
Since then, attempts have been made to implement global measurement methods. The Global Footprint Network is an organization that is dedicated to calculating and monitoring the ecological footprint worldwide using a standardized method. This method evaluates the amount of soil and water necessary to produce the resources that are consumed and to absorb the resources that are generated. It is expressed in terms of global hectares per person.
The Global Footprint Network It also assesses the biocapacity of each region, i.e. the capacity of a given area to produce natural resources and absorb waste. By comparing a region’s ecological footprint with its biocapacity, it is possible to determine whether that region is consuming more resources than it can regenerate, which could lead to ecological impacts such as environmental degradation and biodiversity loss.
How is the ecological footprint calculated?
The ecological footprint calculates the needs of each individual.
The calculation of the ecological footprint is based on a matrix of needs stipulated for each individualwhich includes elements such as the area necessary for food production, the forest area necessary to absorb carbon dioxide emissions, the usable maritime area, the land area necessary for the construction of infrastructure and the energy consumed, among others.
Also included in the calculation elements that protect biodiversity and preserve the integrity of ecosystemsThis biodiversity reserve is stipulated at 12% of each total territory.
The ecological footprint then arises from the sum of the hectares necessary to satisfy the population’s consumption plus an additional 12% for the protection of ecosystems.
What is ecological overdraft day?
He Earth ecological overshoot day indicates the estimated date on which humanity has already consumed all the ecological resources that the planet can generate in a year.
Green Overdraft Day 2022 was July 28. This means that From that date on, all the resources consumed by human beings will not be able to regenerate in time.. A “debt” is generated with nature that is not sustainable over time and has severe impacts on ecosystems and societies.
Types of ecological footprint
Forestry activity produces a direct ecological footprint.
Depending on the impact that human activities have on nature, the ecological footprint can be classified as:
- Direct ecological footprint. It is one that contemplates the direct action of human activities on the capabilities of nature. It refers, for example, to the impact of agriculture, livestock or fishing.
- Indirect ecological footprint. This is the type of energy that does not directly affect the capabilities of nature, but generates effects that do so indirectly. This refers, for example, to transportation and the production of electrical energy.
- Collective ecological footprint. It is one that refers to the total impact of human activities in a community or region. It includes both direct and indirect traces.
Other types of “footprints” that are measured are:
- Carbon footprint. Measures the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by a person, company or country. It is expressed in tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e).
- Water footprint. It measures the quantity of fresh water that is used directly or indirectly in the production of goods and services consumed by a person, company or country.
It may help you: Deforestation
The ecological footprint map
Industrialized countries tend to have a high ecological footprint.
The ecological footprint measurement shows inequalities in the use of resources and the production of waste between different regions. The most developed countries with the highest consumption rates have a very high ecological footprint. This means that they consume more resources than their territory can provide.
It also means that they produce more waste than their territory can absorb, often leading to the export of waste to other regions.
The human ecological footprint map is divided into:
- High demand countriesThey are highly industrialized countries with a high demand for raw materials and energy, such as the United States, most European countries, Australia, Japan, China, the United Arab Emirates and Russia.
- Medium demand countriesThese are countries that have an ecological footprint above the world average but below that of high-demand countries. These are countries with a large population and high economic growth, such as Brazil, Indonesia, Nigeria, India and Mexico.
- Low demand countries. They are poor or sparsely inhabited countries, and with a low human development index. Most African countries are part of this group.
What are the economic activities that generate the largest ecological footprint?
The activities that generate the largest ecological footprint worldwide are:
- Energy production. The use of fossil fuels to generate energy is one of the main causes of greenhouse gas emissions and contributes significantly to the ecological footprint.
- Intensive agriculture and livestock farming. Large-scale food production requires large amounts of water, energy and land. In addition, it uses pesticides and chemical fertilizers that can cause environmental pollution.
- TransportVehicles that run on fossil fuels for the transport of people and goods emit large amounts of greenhouse gases.
- The constructionThe construction of buildings, roads and large infrastructures requires a large amount of materials and energy, which can lead to the degradation and deterioration of the natural environments from which they are extracted.
- The industryThe production of goods on a large scale also requires a significant amount of materials and energy, and often involves the emission of polluting substances into the environment.
Importance of the ecological footprint
To reduce the ecological footprint it is important to practice responsible consumption.
The concept of ecological footprint is important because provides a quantitative measure of the environmental impact of human activities in a certain territory.
By measuring the ecological footprint, the sustainability of economic and consumption activities can be assessed. If the ecological footprint of a community, city or country is greater than its biocapacity for regeneration, this indicates that More resources are being consumed than can be regenerated and there is an “ecological deficit”.
On the other hand, the ecological footprint can help States and society in general to better understand the effects of economic activities on the environment and the use of natural resources. It can also be a useful tool to identify areas where priority action is needed to reduce the ecological footprint and improve the sustainability of economic activities.
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References
- Global Footprint Network (2023). Measure what you treasure. https://www.footprintnetwork.org/
- Wackernagel, M and Rees, W (2001). Our ecological footprint: reducing human impact on Earth. Lom.
WWF (2021). Keys to understanding the Earth’s ecological overshoot. https://www.wwf.cl/