45:211: Environmental Geography Module 10 Ecological Footprint

45:211: Environmental Geography Agenda 21: Principle 7 States shall cooperate in a spirit of global partnership to conserve, protect and restore the health and integrity of the Earth's ecosystems. –Ecosystems are the productive engines of the planet, providing us with everything from the water we drink, the food we eat and the fibre we use for clothing, paper, and lumber.

45:211: Environmental Geography Learning Objectives Define the term ecological footprint – Explain its relation to consumption of resources and waste production Know what factors are involved in ecological footprint calculations. –Explain the concept of "energy land"

45:211: Environmental Geography Learning Objectives Explain the difference in the per capita EF between Canada, Netherlands and India Explain what is meant by the term ecological deficit –Describe an illustrative example Know what is meant by the term global eco- capacity –Know what is meant by the term Earth Share

45:211: Environmental Geography Urban Life Most people in North America live in towns and cities. –Urban life breaks the natural cycles of energy and material flows and we can easily forget about our connection with nature and ecosystems. –We consume goods from all over the world and we tend to experience nature as a collection of commodities or a place for recreation rather than as the source of our well-being.

45:211: Environmental Geography Humans are Part of Nature Despite our estrangement from nature, we are very much part of nature. –As we eat, drink and breath, we constantly exchange energy and matter with our environment. –Food chains that support animal life – including our own – are based on plant photosynthesis. –Nature absorbs our wastes and provides life- support services such as climate stability and protection from UV radiation.

45:211: Environmental Geography Hydrologic Cycle

45:211: Environmental Geography Carbon Cycle

45:211: Environmental Geography Nature and Economy

45:211: Environmental Geography Sustainable Living Sustainably means that: –We use the essential products and processes of nature no more quickly than they can be renewed/produced –We discharge wastes no more quickly than they can be absorbed. Global eco-capacity is based on the sustainability of global ecosystems.

45:211: Environmental Geography Environmental Indicator: Soil Degradation

45:211: Environmental Geography Data Source: C.D. Keeling and T.P. Whorf, Atmospheric CO2 Concentrations (ppmv) derived from in situ air samples collected at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii, Scripps Institute of Oceanography, August A. Neftel et al, Historical CO2 Record from the Siple Station Ice Core, Physics Institute, University of Bern, Switzerland, September See Environmental Indicator: Increasing Atmospheric CO2

45:211: Environmental Geography Carrying Capacity In wildlife management carrying capacity is defined as the maximum population of a given species that can be supported indefinitely in a specified habitat.

45:211: Environmental Geography Human Carrying Capacity The definition does apply so directly to humans because of our seeming ability to increase human carrying capacity by eliminating competing species, importing locally scarce resources, and through technology. However: Every category of energy and material consumption and waste discharge requires the productive or absorptive capacity of a finite area of land.

45:211: Environmental Geography Ecological Footprint We can sum the land requirements necessary to support a defined population  The total area represents the Ecological Footprint of that population, whether or not this area coincides with the geographical home region of the population. –The EF measures the land area used per unit person (or population) rather than population per unit area (carrying capacity).

45:211: Environmental Geography Ecological Footprint The EF of a population is defined as the area of ecologically productive land in various classes – cropland, pasture, forests, urban land – required on a continuing basis to: –provide all the material/energy resources consumed and –to absorb all the wastes discharged by that population with prevailing technology, –wherever on Earth that land is located.

45:211: Environmental Geography So: How big is a city? What is the actual area of land and water required by the city to sustain it and the lives of its inhabitants? –The total ecosystem area that is essential to the city is its actual Ecological Footprint on the Earth.

45:211: Environmental Geography Land Use Categories Consumed Land –Built environment, degraded lands Biomass Land –Crop land, pasture land, gardens, managed forests Wilderness and Conservation Land Energy Land –Land “appropriated” by fossil energy use.

45:211: Environmental Geography Footprints are Exclusive! The EF of a given population is the area used exclusively by that population – and it is not available for use by other populations –Modern cities and whole countries survive on ecological goods and services from all over the world (via commercial trade). –These ecological regions may lie far beyond their political or geographic boundaries.

45:211: Environmental Geography Ecological Footprint Index The EF index is usually expressed in terms of the area of ecologically- productive land used per person by a population.

45:211: Environmental Geography Size of Footprints The Ecological Footprint of a population is proportional to the size of the population and the per capita consumption of material resources (including related waste discharge).

45:211: Environmental Geography The Global Footprint

45:211: Environmental Geography Earthshare The amount of ecologically productive land available per person on Earth (ignoring other species) –This amounts to 1.5 ha Only 0.25 ha of this is arable land. –The average North American’s footprint is about 4-5 hectares

45:211: Environmental Geography Our Footprint The EF of a typical North American (8 ha) represents five-times the equal share of the Earth’s ecological resources. –A world in which everyone imposed an oversized EF is not sustainable. –The EF of humanity as a whole must be smaller than the ecologically productive portion of the planet’s surface. The entire world cannot follow the historical development path of North America and Europe.

45:211: Environmental Geography Footprints of Nations For Footprints of nations Canada*: values in ha/person

45:211: Environmental Geography Ecological Deficit

45:211: Environmental Geography Footprint of the Netherlands

45:211: Environmental Geography Sustainability Gap While the residents of the developed world enjoy a high standard of living, the basic needs of the world’s billion plus chronically poor are not being met. –More material growth, at least in the poor countries, seems essential for socioeconomic sustainability.

45:211: Environmental Geography Ecology Gap However, according to Ecological Footprint analysis, the current level of global human consumption already exceeds the available ecological capacity of the Earth by 30%. –From this, any global increase in material and waste throughput seems ecologically unsustainable.

45:211: Environmental Geography Sustainability Challenge If we rely on conventional economic strategies and technologies to fix development problems, the additional material growth would further degrade already stressed global ecosystems. –Sustainable development is more than simple economic reform. –How can we decrease humanity’s total ecological impact while providing adequately for the needs of all humankind?

45:211: Environmental Geography A Final Word The Ecological Footprint is not about “how bad things are”. –It simply measures our essential and continuing dependence on nature and –It allows us to rationally explore and examine ways to secure the Earth’s capacity to support human existence for all in the future. –Ecological footprint analysis can help us to choose strategies wisely.

45:211: Environmental Geography Summary Conventional wisdom: –Global population cannot grow indefinitely Unconventional wisdom: –Material consumption cannot grow indefinitely –Carrying capacity is limited by ecological resources Sustainability means finding an ecological footprint that doesn’t crush global ecosystems