Earth Overshoot Day (EOD) marks the date when humanity’s demand for ecological resources and services exceeds what Earth can regenerate in a given year.
We maintain this deficit by consuming ecological resources and accumulating waste, primarily carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Earth Overshoot Day is hosted and calculated by Global Footprint Network, an international research organization that provides decision-makers with a menu of tools to help the human economy operate within Earth’s ecological limits.
To determine the date of EOD for each year, Global Footprint Network calculates the number of days of that year that Earth’s biocapacity suffices to provide for humanity’s Ecological Footprint. The remainder of the year corresponds to global overshoot. EOD is computed by dividing the planet’s biocapacity (the amount of ecological resources Earth is able to generate that year), by humanity’s Ecological Footprint (humanity’s demand for that year), and multiplying by 365, the number of days in a year:
(Earth’s Biocapacity / Humanity’s Ecological Footprint) x 365 = Earth Overshoot Day
In 1961 the Earth had an “ecological credit” but in 1970 the EOD compared in the date of the 29th of December. From that time, every year the EOD is anticipating: in 1991 it was on the 12th of October, in 2022 it was on the 28th of July. Only in 2020, during the pandemic of COVID-19 the EOD was pushed back of approximately a month, because of the great stop of human activities. This must make us think. This year, the 2023, few countries have already crossed the date, and we are only in April! What are we doing to delay the EOD? Are we doing enough? Recently, there’s not enough debate about these topics. The news isn’t so attractive?
Letting the answers arise, it is important to underline that many solutions are at hand. We need only to put them into practice. For example we can walk or ride a bike, instead of using a car, so we need more smart cities planning. We can use renewable energies. We need sustainable solutions for food, and for food waste. We need to conserve and restore biodiversity….and much more.
So, the day is full of possibilities, start doing something to delay the EOD!
At the links below you can find more information.
