Ecological footprint: definition and example

The judicious use of natural resources is crucial for the future of humanity. In the last decades, we have used so many resources that it is leading to depletion. We hear more and more questions. How is the ecological footprint calculated? What is the main purpose of the ecological footprint? What are the highest ecological footprints?

    The ecological footprint is a method of measuring human demand in relation to the earth's surface. It is also one of the most widely used indicators of humanity's impact on the environment. Ecologists estimate that it takes about one and a half planets (1.6 precisely) to reproduce all the resources that humanity consumes each year.

Definition of the ecological footprint

What is the ecological footprint? The definition of the ecological footprint in simple terms: it is the number of hectares of land required to cultivate or extract resources to meet our needs. It is calculated for each person separately in a year. This value is influenced by 2 factors: the resource consumption and absorption of waste produced by an individual, a city or a population. (Source) Each person leaves an ecological footprint on the planet. The size of this footprint depends on a person's lifestyle. To a large extent, the country we live in influences this. This is especially true for developed countries. So what is the main purpose of the ecological footprint? It allows us to monitor and control the consumption of natural resources.

What is the definition of an ecological footprint?

Scientists William Rees and Mathis Wackernagel wrote a thesis in 1996 called Our Ecological Footprint, in which they explain their concept. The ecological footprint is the amount of land used for agriculture required by a single person in a family or group of people who use energy, eat, live in buildings and have many other needs. This indicator establishes the needs of the human biosphere. That is, how much natural resources we consume and how much waste can be absorbed. In other words, this indicator can be described as follows: the ecological footprint is the total area of productive land and water needed to continuously produce the resources we consume and to assimilate the waste generated by the economy of an area and a population.

Ecological footprint measurement

The ecological footprint can be measured by two parameters: the Earth's biocapacity and the environmental footprint of human activities. Biocapacity is the capacity of ecosystems to regenerate and provide essential ecological services to humans and to absorb the waste products of their consumption. Ecological footprint is the area of biologically productive land and water required to produce the resources consumed by humans and to absorb the waste. Both are measured in global hectares (hag). If the ecological footprint exceeds the biocapacity of a region or nation, there is a biocapacity deficit, an overshoot for the globe occurs. In the opposite case the measurements results indicate the ecological reserve.

Types of human ecological footprint

A distinction is made between 3 types of ecological footprints:

• Consumption footprint, which refers to the population of a country and is closely influenced by the established consumption culture ;
• Production footprint, which refers to the impact of the operation of industrial and other enterprises in a particular area;
• Trade footprint, which is the difference between the ecological footprint of imports and exports at the international level.

  You can find resources about the types of ecological footprints here.

Why reduce your ecological footprint?

It is obvious that humanity is dependent on nature. Our standard of living is conditioned by indicators such as healthy food, clean water, a stable climate and clean air. All this is only possible with efficient resources management.. 2 reasons why you should reduce your ecological footprint :

Conservation of natural capital

Natural capital consists of natural resources and biodiversity. Natural resources include:

• water (fresh water, oceans and ice);
• atmosphere (the gaseous layer surrounding the planet);
• soil (the upper layer of the earth's crust in which life exists on our planet);
• the subsoil (the lower layer of the earth's crust and the resources that can be extracted from it);
• radiation (electromagnetic radiation and particle radiation in the environment).

  Biodiversity includes all living species:

• micro-organisms;
• fungi;
• plants;
• animals.

  All this can only be preserved by reducing the ecological footprint. Man's impact on the environment is constantly increasing. Because humans consume resources faster than nature can regenerate them, which is about 50%.

The problems of forced migration

Natural disasters, political and armed conflicts force some populations to leave their homes. Those who cannot afford to move to more prosperous areas may become hostages to circumstances and be severely affected by lack of resources. Given current trends, the pace and scale of migration is likely to increase. Robert McLeman of Canada's Wilfrid Laurier University suggests that "politically fragile states could become future epicenters of climate change-related violence and forced migration" (Epicenters of Climate and Security, June 2017). To support the previous sentence: The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has repeatedly warned of the links between the climate emergency and migration movements. The World Bank has estimated that the number of climate migrants will reach 143 million by 2050 in three regions of the world - Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia - if nothing is done.(Source)  

How do you calculate your ecological footprint?

The calculation of the ecological footprint of a nation follows the following simplified formula: EF = ΣT(i) / Y(w) ×EQF(i) Information: the full formula for the calculation is available in this document. Where:

• T(i) is the annual volume in tons of each product i consumed in the country ;
• Y(w) is the world average annual yield for the production of each product i ;
• EQF(i) is the equivalence ratio for each product i.

  This equation compares the quantity of goods consumed in a country with the quantity of these goods produced on average in the world. Equivalence factors, which vary by land use and year, convert a specific amount of land into a corresponding number of global hectares. Yield factors take into account how different types of land can have a greater or lesser influence on the calculation of the ecological footprint, which takes into account many types of products. The ecological footprint takes into account the influence of many sources, but the calculation is very similar for each individual product. After determining the ecological footprint of each product, all values must be added together to find the total ecological footprint. There exists an ecological footprint calculator - footprintcalculator. This calculator was developed by the Global Footprint Network. Good to know : the link to the French calculator to calculate your climate footprint. After answering a few questions about your lifestyle, you will discover your ecological footprint, as well as the result of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by your lifestyle. The platform proposes solutions to reduce these impacts.  

Ecological footprints by country

Different regions of the world have different climatic conditions, natural resource availability and population densities. This is why the ecological footprints of countries differ. More than half of the world's natural resources belong to eight countries (Source):

• Brazil;
• Russia ;
• the United States ;
• Canada;
• India;
• China;
• Australia;
• Argentina.

  Third world countries, such as Bangladesh, have minimal environmental impact and a small ecological footprint. The size of a country's ecological footprint is influenced by the number of industries in operation and the degree of development of the industry as a whole. However, the ecological footprint of a country is also expanded by each individual inhabitant.

Which countries have the highest ecological footprint?

The TOP-12 countries with the highest ecological footprint (in global hectares - Source):

• China;
• United States of America;
• India;
• Russian Federation;
• Japan;
• Brazil;
• Indonesia ;
• Germany;
• Republic of Korea;
• Mexico;
• Canada;
• France.

 

Global Ecological Footprint Map

A map of the ecological footprint is available on footprintnetwork. On this map, you can see different indicators for each country, such as:

• Ecological deficit/reserve;
• Total ecological footprint;
• Ecological footprint per person;
• Total biocapacity;
• Biocapacity per person.

What is France's ecological footprint?

According to Global Footprint Network statistics, France's ecological footprint is 287,000,000 global hectares, which puts it in 12th place in the ranking of countries. At the same time, the ecological footprint of the French is 4.4 global hectares - 45th place in the country ranking. The tables containing these data can be downloaded in pdf format. France is actively fighting against environmental pollution. Every year, innovative laws are passed to control and reduce CO2 emissions in various sectors. Notably, the National Low-Carbon Strategy (SNBC) introduced by the “Loi relative à la transition énergétique pour la croissance verte” (LTECV) or Energy Transition Act, is a French roadmap aimed at fighting against climate change. Thus, websites for air and train tickets indicate the carbon footprint of the trip. The SNCF website, when buying a ticket from Paris to Nice, indicates that the carbon footprint of the trip will be 2.1 kg. Air France has launched the Carbon Calculator to evaluate the emissions of flights.  

Examples of ecological footprints

Most goods are produced from natural resources that humans extract from the planet. The increase of the ecological footprint of each country is influenced by domestic and industrial habits. For example, we can consider 2 industries that are now ready for a global change towards sustainability. These are the automotive industry and meat production. Information: In France, the transport sector is responsible for 43% of CO2 emissions. (Source)

Making a car

Today, transportation is the fastest growing source of emissions in the world, currently accounting for 24% of global greenhouse gas emissions, behind the energy sector. Road vehicles are the largest single source of transportation-related emissions worldwide. Passenger cars alone are responsible for 41% of global transport-related CO2 emissions in 2020. This is not surprising given that there are over 1.42 billion cars on the road. Reducing transportation-related emissions is very important. To achieve real results, society needs to shift to low-carbon fuels and electric vehicles.

Meat's environmental footprint

The main negative effect of the meat industry is the emission of greenhouse gases and the resulting global climate change. The problem is becoming increasingly acute. The demand for animal products is increasing due to 2 factors. First, the growth of humans on the planet. There are expected to be 9.6 billion people on Earth in 2050, about 2.4 billion more than today. Second, the standard of living for urban dwellers is increasing. People's ability to purchase a variety of products, including meat in their diet, is increasing. According to some forecasts, the demand for meat by 2050 will increase by 73% compared to 2010. And the amount of resources on our planet will remain the same. It is therefore necessary to reduce meat consumption globally. However, there are ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. These consist of better production practices, lead to more efficient production and are economically feasible with appropriate government support.  

How to reduce your ecological footprint?

12 tips to reduce your ecological footprint:

• Monitor and reduce your electricity consumption by adopting good practices.
• Reduce car travel. If your destination is close to you, walk, bike or ride an electric scooter.
• Reduce unnecessary water use.
• Take a quick shower instead of a bath. Use only as much water as you need for cooking. Boil water in the kettle for the exact number of cups.
• Reduce the use of plastic. To this day, the vast majority of products have plastic packaging that is only used once. The easiest way to get rid of it is to get reusable containers, a bag, and a coffee cup.
• If you live in the countryside, switch to renewable energy. Now you can live comfortably while taking care of the planet.
• Eat less meat. Greenhouse gases from the meat industry are a major environmental problem.
• Add more vegetables and plant-based proteins to your diet. Or choose local meat producers.
• Reduce your waste. First, avoid unnecessary purchases. Second, use reusable products and items.
• Recycle your waste. Responsible recycling helps reduce CO2 emissions as well as air and water pollution.
• Find out what the recycling rules are in your area and follow them. Teach your children to recycle as well.
• Support local producers. Food travels more than people. Global shipping networks have a big impact on the environment. Go to local markets and choose local products.

  For more tips see the article "Becoming Eco-Responsible".  

Now you know all about the ecological footprint

Awareness of responsibility is the key to preserving the planet.

To find out more, take a look at the following articles:

‣ Circular economy: definition and example ‣ Ecology: definition and example ‣ Becoming eco-responsible: approach, gestures and examples ‣ Eco-responsible and ecological product: definition and example ‣ Ecological footprint: definition and example