Task 1
Watch Clip: What is Ecological Overshoot?
Ecological overshoot
is when we use more then our earth can provide. For example, Earth overshoot
day is when we have used our regenerative recourses for the year, any recourses
used beyond that point will not be regenerated by nature
Task 2
Go to website below and read about Earth Overshoot Day
Read the section on The Cost of Ecological Spending and
answer these questions
1. How has
humanity used nature’s resources throughout most of history? Humanity has and
exploited natures recourses. We have farmed plants, animals and other natural
recourses to produce food, transport and energy for the wellbeing of our
civilization.
2. Why are the
mid 1970’s a critical threshold for humanity? In the mid 70’s we begun
consuming more than our earth could provide. So much so that at this point it
would take 1.5 earths to support what we consume.
3. What is our
current demand for renewable ecological resources? We demand roughly 150% of earth’s
regenerative recourses.
4. How many
China’s does it take to support China? It takes roughly 2.2 Chinas to support China
5. Look at the
chart on the RHS – what are worst performing countries? United Arab Emirates
and Japan. I’d suspect the UAE because of large oil exports.
6.
Why do you believe these countries are performing
badly on the ecological stakes? Some of these countries are major exporters or
manufacturers. The UAE has exports worth $127,307,000,000
7.
What are the signs that we are ecologically
overspending? Things like animals consistently becoming endangered, large
amounts of farming land, less forests and natural habitats and huge amounts of
finite recourse consumption all contributes to our ecological overspending
8.
Look at the chart showing Countries in the Red and complete
an I see, I think, I wonder in order to
try and explain the significance of the chart
I see
|
I think
|
I Wonder
|
Finland, Canada
and Australia with high bio capacities and high incomes.
Qatar and
Switzerland with a high incomes but bio deficit.
India, Vietnam,
Philippians etc… bio deficit with a very low income.
Parts of Europe
(UK, Germany, France) and the US with very low bio capacity and average to
high incomes, just over Greece.
|
Countries with a
high population density are much lower on the bio capacity scale than
countries like Australia.
Countries with
worse environments, like sand or little green area also have are more deficit
of both wealth and productive land.
|
I wonder how long
it will take (if we continue the way we do) for our planet to become
completely uninhabitable
|
Task 3
Take Link to
http://www.footprintnetwork.org/images/article_uploads/EarthOvershootDay_2014_Media_Backgrounder.pdf
1.
Read
the article
2.
Summarize
each section using the “Tweet” method
1)
While economies, populations and resource demands grow, the size of Earth remains
the same. Since the
1970s, when global ecological overshoot
became a reality, we have been drawing down the biosphere's
principal
rather than living off its annual interest. To support our demands on nature,
we have been
liquidating
resource stocks and allowing carbon
dioxide to accumulate
in the atmosphere.
Ecological
overshoot is possible only for a limited time before ecosystems begin to degrade and possibly
collapse. Impacts of
ecological overspending are apparent already in water shortages, desertification, soil
erosion, reduced cropland
productivity, overgrazing, deforestation, rapid species extinction, fisheries
collapse and increased carbon
concentration in the atmosphere.
Natural
capital constraints also pose a threat to economic performance and economic
stability. Such
economic
pressure further complicates the ability of nations to address such challenges
as the growing
division
between the rich and poor.
The
earth doesn't get bigger. Yet out demand does and it has since the dawn of
time. However in the 1970’s we began to ‘over-consume’ due to this
overconsumption we have accumulated carbon in the atmosphere and are destroying
the essential things for our survival, like soil, water and animals.
2)
The estimated level of resources and
ecosystem services required to support human activities is just over
1.5 Earths. Overshoot has
nearly doubled
since 1961. In that
time, human demand on resources has gone
from
being within the means of what nature could support to significantly over
budget.
Earth
overshoot day has almost doubled since 1961. At this point in time it takes 1.5
earths to support out lifestyle meaning at roughly 6 months earth overshoot day
will happen and though the rest of the year we will be significantly
overspending our ‘nature budget’
3)
Overshoot is driven by four key factors:
1) how much we consume,
2) how efficiently
products are made, 3)
how many of us there are, and 4)
how much nature is
able to produce. Technology and more intensive inputs have helped expand
biological productivity over the years, but that expansion has not come close
to
keeping
pace with the rate at which population and resource demand have expanded.
Global
Footprint Network’s data show that both world population and consumption are
increasing. Higher
per capita demand leaves
a smaller pool of resources for everyone. Larger populations mean finite
resources must be divided
among more people. Whatever the factors — consumption or population —
humanity
is simply demanding more than Earth can provide. This overuse cannot be maintained for long.
If
we continue on the course estimated by moderate United Nations projections for increasing
population
and
consumption, Global Footprint Network data show that we would need the capacity
of three Earths to
keep
up with our level of demand before mid-century. Whether such continued levels
of overuse are
physically
possible is highly uncertain.
Staying
on this course would put the well-being of many of the planet's residents
increasingly at risk.
The
United Nations have predicted that by mid century if we don't do something
about it we will require 3 earths. This means Earth Overshoot day will occur
much earlier in the year. Overshoot is calculated by 1) Consumption 2)
Production Efficiency 3) Population and 4) Natural production. ATM 1 and 3 are
rising while 3 and 4 are declining. Increasing our eco footprint and how
quickly we celebrate overshoot.
4)
The Ecological Footprint also measures
the carbon Footprint, which represents the land area required to
sequester
carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel burning and cement production.
Today,
the carbon Footprint is more than half of humanity’s total Ecological Footprint. It is also the fastest growing part of
the Footprint. One hundred
years ago
the carbon Footprint was a very small fraction of they overall Ecological Footprint. Since 1970,
our total carbon Footprint has more than doubled (in total global hectares).
Humanity’s
carbon Footprint is the leading
driver of climate change.
Because we are emitting
carbon dioxide into the air at a rate much faster than it can be absorbed,
it is building up in
the atmosphere and ocean.
Significantly
reducing the carbon Footprint is an essential step to ending ecological overshoot and living within the means
of our planet. It is also the most essential step in halting climate change, the most pervasive
result of our ecological overspending.
In
the modern day the Carbon footprint is over half of humanities total ecological
footprint. In fact one hundred years ago the carbon footprint was a very small
part of the ecological footprint and has more then doubled in the last century.
Reducing our carbon footprint and ultimately our ecological footprint is
essential to halting climate change and ecological overshoot.
5)
Every year Global Footprint Network calculates the
number of days of that year that Earth’s bio capacity suffices to provide for humanity’s Ecological
Footprint. The remainder of the year corresponds to global overshoot. Earth
Overshoot Day is calculated by dividing the world bio capacity (the amount of ecological resources
Earth is able to generate that year), by the world Ecological Footprint (humanity’s
demand for that year), and multiplying
by 365, the number of days in 2014:
(World
Bio capacity / World Ecological Footprint) x 365 = Earth Overshoot Day
Every
year the GFN calculates our consistently changing ecological foorprint and
predicts our yearly overshoot day. This is accomplished by Dividing the worlds
bio capacity by the ecological footprint and multiplying it by how many days
are in that year. Or World bio capacity ÷
Ecological footprint ×
365 = Earth Overshoot day
6)
The national Footprint and bio capacity
calculations are based on United Nations data sets and use about 6,000 data points per country and year. In
addition the calculations use some complementary data points from the most
recent scientific literature. The precision and reliability of the underlying
data is not known and may vary from country to country.
However,
Global Footprint Network not only updates its data on a regular basis, but also
improves its methodology. Global Footprint Network estimates that the absolute
precision may be within 15
per cent.
However,
the assessments of overall trends are more robust.
One
significant improvement Global Footprint Network is working on involves
calculating the biosphere’s ability to absorb carbon. With data collected
through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the emerging
literature, more precise
assessments are now possible. Preliminary calculations indicate that the
average carbon sequestration capacity may be slightly lower than what was
estimated in the past.
Using
this new number would increase
the carbon Footprint and the total Ecological Footprint. As soon as this
research is completed, an updated carbon sequestration assessment will be
included in the next National Footprint Accounts, which are used to calculate
global Ecological Footprint and biocapacity.
Consequently,
Earth Overshoot Day is meant as an approximation rather than an exact date.
Still, the data shows that humanity’s demand on nature is at an unsustainable level — one
year is no longer enough to regenerate humanity’s annual demand on the planet.
We
require 1.5 planets to keep our lives sustainable. Well recent search results
from the Global Footprint Network suggests otherwise. This is because of the
Earths ability to absorb carbon may be lower then what we might’ve expected.
Therefore raising our carbon footprint and ultimately our ecological footprint.
7)
Global Footprint Network is an international
sustainability think tank working to make ecological limits central to decision-making by advancing
the Ecological Footprint. This resource management tool measures how much nature we have, how much we use and who uses
what. Together with its partners, Global Footprint Network coordinates
research, develops methodological standards, and provides decision makers with robust resource
accounts to help the human economy operate within Earth’s ecological limits.
The
Global Footprint Network uses how much nature we have and how much we consume,
using a systematic, theoretical analysis the CFN can calculate our planets
ecological limits.
3.
Answer
the following question
·
What is
the link between Ecological Footprint and Carbon Footprint? The carbon
footprint is a section of the ecological footprint. Put it as a government. The
carbon footprint is like the prime minister; it contributed most and usually
puts a burden of everyone under it… in this case at least. However there are
many other little footprints working with it, enlarging it and contributing to
the total number of earths it takes to support our lifestyle. So the ecological
footprint can also be used to measure the carbon footprint representing the
land area required to sequester carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel
burning.
Well done Ben - good tweets and excellent responses to the questions
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