Fw: News:(dated): Report Outlines Ecological Footprint of Nations

Ian Murray seamus2001 at attbi.com
Mon Dec 9 20:17:22 PST 2002


----- Original Message ----- From: "Ashwani Vasishth" <vasishth at USC.EDU> To: <ECOLOG-L at LISTSERV.UMD.EDU> Sent: Monday, December 09, 2002 7:30 PM Subject: News:(dated): Report Outlines Ecological Footprint of Nations

The report, Ecological Footprint of Nations, can be accessed at:

http://www.pacinst.org/wildlife.html

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http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=23196

New Report Outlines the Ecological Footprint of 146 Nations

Source: EarthVision Environmental News

OAKLAND, CA, Nov. 29, 2002 - Redefining Progress' Sustainability Program

has released its latest Ecological Footprint of Nations report that

outlines the ecological impact of 146 of the world's nations.

The issue brief shows to what extent a nation can support its resource

consumption with its available ecological capacity. It also illustrates

the degree to which a nation could reproduce its consumption at a global

level. The issue brief also outlines the significant improvements and

refinements made to the Ecological Footprint accounts since last year's

report.

"Humanity's Ecological Footprint exceeds the Earth's biological capacity

by 20 percent," explained Sustainability Program Director Mathis

Wackernagel. "Many nations, including the United States, are running even

larger ecological deficits. As a consequence of this overuse, the human

economy is liquidating the Earth's natural capital."

Ecological Footprint accounts provide a conservative estimate of

humanity's pressure on global ecosystems. They represent the biologically

productive area required to produce the food and wood people consume, to

supply space for infrastructure, and to absorb the greenhouse gas carbon

dioxide (CO2) emitted from burning fossil fuels.

The Ecological Footprint is expressed in "global acres." Each global acre corresponds to one acre of biologically productive space with world average productivity. (An acre is approximately the size of an American football field without its end zones.)

The global Ecological Footprint in 1999 (the latest year for which data is available) is 5.6 global acres, while the Earth's biocapacity was 4.7 global acres. The United States recorded an Ecological Footprint of 24.0 global acres, nearly doubling its national biocapacity of 13.0 global acres.

"Sustainability talk is meaningless unless it is backed up by specific

measurable commitments and timetables for implementation," said

Wackernagel. "We will achieve sustainability only when every person can

lead a satisfying life within the Earth's biological capacity. People can

use the Ecological Footprint to hold individuals, organizations,

businesses, and governments accountable for their sustainability

performance."

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