Thursday October 12, 2006

Planet enters 'ecological debt'

peakoil.com -> news.bbc.co.uk :

Rising consumption of natural resources means that humans began "eating the planet" on 9 October, a study suggests. The date symbolised the day of the year when people's demands exceeded the Earth's ability to supply resources and absorb the demands placed upon it. The figures' authors said the world first "ecological debt day" fell on 19 December 1987, but economic growth had seen it fall earlier each year. The data was produced by a US-based think-tank, Global Footprint Network.

The authors said this year's global ecological debt day meant that it would take the Earth 15 months to regenerate what was consumed this year. The findings are based on the concept of "ecological footprints", a system of measuring how much land and water a human population needs to produce the resources it consumes and absorb the resulting waste. Global Footprint Network's executive director, Mathis Wackernagel, said humanity was living off its "ecological credit card" and was "liquidating the planet's natural resources".

See also :

1. Peak Oil and Limits to Growth - Dennis Meadows at ASPO 5
2. Booming nations 'threaten Earth'
3. Ecological Footprint Quiz (1.7 planets! what about you?)

(2006-10-12 13:11:30 SGT) [Env] Permalink

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