“Climate change is one of the most significant indicators of ecological overshoot, and curbing climate change is essential to creating a world where everyone can live well and live within the means of one planet. The Together Campaign recognizes that while the scale of this challenge is enormous, all of us pulling together toward this common goal, making low-carbon choices in our home and work lives, can turn the tide towards a sustainable future. We are proud to be a part of this effort.”
- Mathis Wackernagel, Executive Director, Global Footprint Network

September 23, 2008 is Earth Overshoot Day: the day we begin living beyond the means of one planet

September 23 this year marks an unfortunate milestone: the day humanity has used up all the new resources nature will produce this year, according to data from Global Footprint Network, a research organization that measures how much nature we have, how much we use and who uses what. Beyond that day, we move into the ecological equivalent of deficit spending, utilizing resources at a rate faster than what the planet can regenerate in a calendar year.

What is Overshoot?

Just like any company, nature has a budget – it can only produce so many resources and absorb so much waste each year. The problem is, our demand for nature’s services is exceeding what it can provide. Since the 1980s, humanity has been in ecological overshoot, using natural resources faster than they can be regenerated and creating waste – especially carbon dioxide faster than it can be reabsorbed.

Globally, we now demand the biological capacity of 1.4 planets, according to Global Footprint Network. But of course, we only have one. The result is that our supply of natural resources – like trees and fish – continues to shrink, while our waste – primarily carbon dioxide – accumulates.

The greatest cause of overshoot is our carbon emissions. Today, humanity is simply emitting carbon faster than the planet can re-absorb it. Our carbon Footprint has increased more than 700 percent since 1961.

How Earth Overshoot Day is calculated

Each year, Global Footprint Network calculates humanity’s Ecological Footprint (its demand on cropland, pasture, forests and fisheries), and compares this with global biocapacity, the ability of these ecosystems to generate resources and absorb waste. Ecological Footprint accounting can be used to determine the exact date we, as a global community, begin living beyond the means of what the planet can regenerate in a calendar year.

Humanity first went into overshoot in 1986; before that time the global community consumed resources and produced carbon dioxide at a rate consistent with what the planet could produce and reabsorb. By 1996, however, humanity was using 15 percent more resources in a year than the planet could supply, with Earth Overshoot Day falling in November. This year, more than two decades since we first went into overshoot, because we are now demanding resources at a rate of 40 percent more than the planet can produce them, Earth Overshoot Day has moved forward to September 23.

Moreover, if everyone lived like an American, it would take 5.4 planets to produce all we need and absorb all our carbon emissions. We would reach Earth Overshoot Day in early March!

What Can I do To End Overshoot?

Take our Quiz to determine your Ecological Footprint and learn what you can do to get out of overshoot in your own life. You can also encourage government and business leaders to build cities and organizations that help to end overshoot with smart infrastructure planning and best-practice green technology. With everyone working together, we can make Earth Overshoot Day history instead of news!

Learn more about Earth Overshoot Day.

About Global Footprint Network

Global Footprint Network was established in 2003 to help build a sustainable future: where all people have the opportunity to live satisfying lives within the means of one planet. An essential step in creating a one-planet future is measuring human impact on the Earth so we can make more informed choices.

That is why our work aims to accelerate the use of the Ecological Footprint—a resource accounting tool that measures how much nature we use, how much we have, and who uses what. The Footprint is a data-driven metric that tells us how close we are to the goal of sustainable living. Our National Footprint accounts work like bank statements, documenting whether we are living within our ecological budget or consuming nature’s resources faster than the planet can renew them.

Together with hundreds of individuals, 200 cities, 23 nations, leading business, scientists, NGOs, academics, and our 90 plus global Partners, we are advancing the impact of the Footprint in the world. We are applying it to practical projects, sparking a global dialogue about a one-planet future, and facilitating positive change.

For more information, please visit www.globalfootprintnetwork.org