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Mathis Wackernagel, PhD
Copenhagen Workshop - Solstice, 2007
AdvancingSustainable Production with
the Ecological Footprint
Yes, Footprint is becoming more popular…
an
…and it provides a measurement method to comparehuman demandagainst biosphere’s regenerative capacity
Footprint Benefits:
• You can explain the challenge: a complex, ecologically constrained world
• You can communicate benefits of sustainable manufacturing
• You can identify risks, new markets, and opportunities for sustainable manufacturing
“Brundtland
Report”
(1987)
1.8 global hectares per person
Produced for the Swiss Government (SDC, ARE, Statistics)
Bioproductive segments
18% Biologically Productive Land
11%Deserts, Ice Caps and Barren Land
67% Low-ProductivityOcean
4%BiologicallyProductive Ocean
Bioproduct i ve Seg ments
22%
How much “nature” is available?
With 6.3 billion people (2003)Current global average availability of bioproductive land + sea area
= 1.8 global hectares/person
Footprint components
Fossil Fuel Built-up Waste Food Fibresabsorption
What Does the Footprint Measure?
• Footprint: How much of the biosphere’s regenerative capacity is used by human activities?
• Biocapacity: How much of the biosphere is available within a region?
Human Demand (Ecological Footprint) Ecological Supply (Biocapacity)
Footprint Areas for: Biocapacity Areas:
Growing Crops 0.49 Crop land 0.53
Grazing Animals 0.14 Grazing land 0.27
Settlements & infrastructure 0.08 Built-up area 0.08
Producing timber & fuelwood 0.23 Forest 0.78
Absorbing excess CO2 1.14
Harvesting Fish 0.15 Fishing Grounds 0.14
Total Global Demand 2.2 Total Global Supply 1.8
Global Ecological Balance Sheet (in global hectares/person, 2003 data)
Demand
Exceeds
Supply
By
25%
>
Footprint for Waste Management
(INVESTMENT)
Recuperated Footprint from Waste
(RETURN)
potential
actual
Foot
prin
t (gh
a)Bigger Footprint for Solution Providers E.g.: Waste Management as Investment
Building Momentum:The Footprint of an Australian General Retailer
Looking into the Future
Context for the Future of Business:
UN’s most moderate scenario
How many % of World GDP need to be invested to turn the curve?
Is there enough natural capital to liquidate for a Moderate Business-as-Usual Path?
Billi
on 2
003
glob
al h
ecta
res
24
12
Which Investments Will Win?Maps Opportunities and Liabilities to
Lifespan of People, Assets and Infrastructure
Source: Pacala & Socalow (Science, 2005)
Where are the new markets?
Opportunities beyond Carbon Footprint:Sustainability Wedges
• Biomass Energy• Infrastructure• Reproductive Health• Female Economy• Agriculture and Food• Resource Efficiency • Waste Management
1.8 global hectares per person
Which Investments are Effective?∆ HDI / € and ∆ overshoot / €
Leapfrogging
Building Resilience
Example 1: REAP—Input-Output Based Footprint Analysis Tool
Average Footprint (and components) for each UK
Municipality
INVITATION!Check out the wallet card
Test-run the Footprint?
Newsletter?
www.footprintnetwork.org
“London First”: What is the potential for reduction? Which technologies would be needed?
• Total London Ecological Footprint = 50 million gha• Possible to reduce London’s Ecological Footprint by
between 20 & 25 million global average hectares (gha)
London Remade with WSP Environmental, Global Footprint Network