Earth Overshoot Day – The Global Ecological Deficit

Today (2nd of August, 2023) marks Earth Overshoot Day. We have reached the ecological limits of what our planet can naturally regenerate this year due to global demand for ecological resources and services.

What is Earth Overshoot Day?

With measurements first beginning in 1971, the Ecological Footprint has been using the following formula to calculate the overshoot date of each subsequent year:

(Planet’s Biocapacity / Humanity’s Ecological Footprint) x 365 = Earth Overshoot Day

It is worth noting that although incremental improvement can be seen in Figure 1.1 in recent decades with the gradual slowing of the downward slope, we remain far beyond what our planet can naturally support.

Coloured graph showing decreasing capacity of planet to support ecosystems

Figure 1.1 Earth Overshoot Day, 2023

It has been estimated that we would require 1.7 Earths’ worth of ecological resources to sustain our current yearly demands[1]. How was this calculated?

What Is Accounted for in The Calculations?

Calculating the most precise estimation of an overshoot date requires the most up to date information of the National Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts which according to Earth Overshoot Day [2] creates a time gap due to the reporting processes within the United Nations.

The Global Footprint Network utilises the available trendlines from within the National Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts by extending the trendlines to the current year. It also includes relevant available data like those provided by the Global Carbon Project and International Energy Agency (IEA) to supplement the calculations.

What is National Footprint?

We are all familiar with the term Ecological Footprint, with the Cambridge Dictionary Definition describing it as “the amount of the earth’s energy that someone or something uses”.[3] But how does National Footprint fit within calculations for Earth Overshoot Day?

It is introduced by The Global Footprint Network as the only metric that focuses on measuring the amount of nature we have in comparison to how much nature we use.[4]

“Measuring the demand on and supply of nature.” [5]

Demand: It captures data on the size of biologically productive area necessary to meet competing demands of a populations needs, but also the ability of the area to absorb the waste created by these demands. The consumption calculations of a country are completed by adding imports and then subtracting exports from national production.

What is Biocapacity?

Supply: Biocapacity is described as the productivity of a state or nation’s ecological assets, from cropland and forestry to urbanised land. 

According to the Global Footprint Network, Biocapacity is measured by making a calculation of the amount of biologically productive land and sea areas capable of contributing to the resources consumed by a population and its ability to absorb the wastes generated. It also accounts for both management practices and current technology available to assist in these activities. [6] 

What Are Global Hectares? 

The Global Footprint Network uses Global Hectares to measure both Ecological Footprint and Biocapacity to allow for comparability throughout calculations. [7] 

Final Calculations: 

Region’s Ecological Footprint > Region’s Biocapacity = Ecological Deficit 

OR 

Region’s Biocapacity > Ecological Footprint = Ecological Reserve 

Key Takeaway’s From This Earth Overshoot Day 

1. If the world’s population lived like the UK population, Earth’s Overshoot Day would have been 19th May 2023 or the 139th day of the year.[8] 

2. The growing weather anomalies relating to climate change and the recent political controversies including the UK Government’s announcement granting 100 new oil and gas licences within the North Sea demonstrate an increasingly urgent need for change. 

3. This Earth Day is falling within a summer of arguably the most catastrophic weather we have seen collectively across the globe, from forest fires, droughts, and life-threatening heatwaves to freak storms. With scientists confirming that this past July was the hottest month since records began[9], evidence is piling up which all points to the need for substantial systemic change. 

Overshoot Day and Jordisk 

If you’re familiar with Jordisk, you’ll know that we are based in the UK and launched as a sustainability consultancy. We focus on helping clients utilise the increasingly comprehensive and robust sustainability reporting standards as a route for simultaneous compliance and sustainable change. 

But we’re aware that words aren’t the important thing here. We each need to find a way to challenge current baselines and get us back towards that ecological reserve that we all dream of. We’ll keep supporting our clients to focus on the sustainable change that is both possible and vital to the long-term viability of themselves, ecosystem services and the communities they interact with. Internally, we’re working on ways to improve our own impacts and despite our naturally low carbon value chain, there’s no rest for the wicked(problems). 

[1] https://www.overshootday.org/2023-calculation/ 

[2] https://www.overshootday.org/2023-calculation/ 

[3] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/vi/dictionary/english/ecological-footprint 

[4] https://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/ecological-footprint/ 

[5] https://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/ecological-footprint/ 

[6] https://www.footprintnetwork.org/resources/data/ 

[7] https://www.footprintnetwork.org/our-work/ecological-footprint/ 

[8] https://www.overshootday.org/newsroom/country-overshoot-days/ 

[9]Niranjan, A,(2023) ‘Era of global boiling has arrived,’ says UN chief as July set to be hottest month on record. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jul/27/scientists-july-world-hottest-month-record-climate-temperatures

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