Earth Overcapacity Day, the limits of sustainability

messi16

Last Thursday, July 28, 2022, a spooky anniversary was declared: Earth Overcapacity Day. This concept expresses that, on this day, humanity's consumption of resources and ecosystem services has already exceeded the Earth's generating capacity in an entire year. Spain, specifically, reached this limit on May 12, moving 13 days ahead of the previous year (in 2021 it was reached on May 25). That is to say, to maintain the current productivist system at the level of our country, the reserves of the Earth are not enough, but the resources of 2.8 planets are necessary. Of course, not all countries on earth consume resources equitably or at the same rate.

To make comparisons, the concept of carbon Oman Email List footprint or ecological footprint is used, a way of measuring the impact that humanity has on the planet. It is the ecologically productive surface area necessary to produce the resources consumed by an individual, as well as the area necessary to absorb the waste it generates. This data is calculated by the Global Footprint, an international research organization that analyzes and compares the demand for resources of governments or companies with the Earth's biocapacity.



As can be seen in the following figure industrialized countries have an ecological footprint much higher than the carrying capacity of ecosystems (countries in red), while other countries with less industrialization and very rich in natural resources, such as Brazil has a moderate carbon footprint, which remains below biocapacity (countries in green). Social and economic inequality is closely linked to environmental injustice. Illustration 1. Carbon footprint by country (2018). Source: National Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts 2022 edition (Data Year 2018 ). There is no doubt that we find ourselves on the confines of a planetary ecological crisis.