Earth Overshoot Day

Crisis

According to Global Footprint Network, Earth overshoot day has fallen on Augusts 22nd for this year. Every year Earth overshoot day been calculated by Global Foot Print Network where the date marks where the demands of the populations exceeds with the resources the Earth exists.  Which means from this date on wards till the end of the year the global economy operates in ecological deficit.

However Global Foot print network states that this year, the date has come almost a month after the 2019 Overshoot Day, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The GFN says the coronavirus outbreak has caused humanity’s “ecological footprint” to fall by 9.3 per cent this year, as people around the world were forced into lockdown.In fact, Earth Overshoot Day has not been this late in the year since 2005.

But GFN President Mathis Wackernagel said the result was “not something to celebrate”, adding: “It’s not done by design, it’s done by disaster.” The GFN bases its calculations on humanity’s ‘footprint’ by assessing carbon, forests and food, alongside what is needed to absorb global CO2 emissions.

The GFN explains: “ To determine Earth Overshoot Day, one needs to calculate the ratio between the Earth’s ability to generate resources, or its biocapacity, and humanity’s demands placed upon nature, its Ecological Footprint. “All demands on nature compete for biocapacity: sequestration capacity for CO2 from fossil fuel combustion, demand for food and fiber, energy production (from hydropower to biomass), space for roads and shelters, etc.

GFN states that the forest products footprint is down 8.4 percent, while the carbon footprint is down 14.5 percent. The GFN said: “Carbon emissions data from the International Energy Agency forms the basis of the ‘COVID-19 carbon-adjustment’ to Earth Overshoot Day.