Measuring sustainable consumption: the Ecological Footprint

Martha RosemeyerIntroduction to Environmental StudiesOctober 7, 2002

General Concept of sustainability

“Satisfying the needs of present generations without compromising the needs of future generations.” Bruntland Commission 1987

So broad that it is devoid of operational significance

How do we know that progress is being made toward sustainability?

Indicator of sustainability

We want to measure the ability to consume sustainably in a number of different categories food shelter transport goods and services

Question becomes how to aggregate these measurements

Characteristics of an indicator of sustainability

Relatively easy to measureCould be repeatedSensitiveCorrespond to level of aggregation

that is appropriateDeveloped in a participatory manner

Concept of Ecological FootprintThe quantity of bioproductive land that is required to support current consumption

food, housing, transport, consumer goods, services

Includes land needed for absorption of waste

Assumptions

Resources consumed and waste are measured, and data accessible

Consumption and waste can be related to land area

US Ecological Footprint- new

Note: new fishing numbers

Total

.7 5.4

0 5.2

0 4.3

0 5.8

0 2.8

.7 23.5

Consumption in over 60 categories Add imports and subtract exportsResource use and waste emissions

are expressed in land area required -- one unit

Ecological footprints of nations

US 24 acresGermany 12 acresChina 3.9 acresIndia 1.9 acres

Energy land

Land neededto absorb CO2

2.47 acre/1 ha

acre = football field

Forest use

Transport

Transport

How can the ecological footprint be used?

Global scaleNational levelMunicipalities, e.g. Thurston Co.Individual items: tomatoes grown in

greenhouse vs. in the fieldHousehold/personal scale

Overshoot

Growth beyondcarrying capacityorwhen demand exceeds ecological supply

Humanity’s Ecological Footprint- 20-30% larger than is sustainable

Only 1.9 ha or 4.7 acres of biologically productive space per person on Earth

World average is 2.3 ha or 5.6 acres

Recognition

Proceedingsof the National Academy of Sciences, July 2002Concludes thatsince 1980s haveexceeded regenerativecapacity of biosphere

1999- 20% overshoot

National EF with capacity anddeficit

CanadianE F

Impact of 5categories on

energy, degradation garden crop pasture forest

Local E F

Lower Fraser RiverValley BC

Comparingsystems

Greenhousevs.field grown(10x greater)

Personal

Calculation ofindividual ecological footprint

Opportunity for personal reflection

Assignment due this Wednesday, October 9

Ecological Footprint of Thurston County

Dr. Paula Swedeen from Sustainable Community Roundtable will be with us Wednesday.

“According to new calculations that more accurately account for CO2 emissions, Thurston County's “ecological footprint” is even bigger than reported in our 1997 Indicator Update. At 10.3 hectares (25.4 acres) per capita, sustaining our current population requires a land area ten times the size of Thurston County. At projected growth rates, we'll require one and a half times that amount of land to maintain our current quality of life — unless many more of us redefine what “quality of life” means, adopt an ethic of “voluntary simplicity,” and radically reduce our consumption.”