As of 2nd of August we live on ecological credit at the expense of nature!

Posted on 2 August 2023

This year Earth Overshoot Day lands on August the 2nd. This day marks the date when human demand for biological resources exceeds the Earth’s capacity to regenerate them within that year.

The overshoot has led to land and soil degradation, fish stock depletion, deforestation, biodiversity loss, and greenhouse gas accumulation. These symptoms are becoming more prominent every day across the planet, with unusual heat waves, wildfires, droughts, and floods, all over the world, exacerbating the competition for food and energy.

Scientists from the Global Footprint calculate Earth Overshoot Day using the National Footprint and Biocapacity Accounts. Global Overshoot Day lands on August 2, in the region, it came much earlier. Slovenia had its Overshoot Day on April 18th, Montenegro on May 13rd, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina on May 29th, North Macedonia on June 7th, and Serbia on July 8th, whilst Albania will have it on November 3rd. That means that we live on credit, depriving future generations of nature.

"In less than eight months, humanity has used up the resources that the Earth has provided us for the entire year. Last five years, this trend has improved slightly, but how much of this is driven by economic slow-down or deliberate decarbonization efforts is difficult to discern. Still, overshoot reduction is far too slow. To reach the UN IPCC target of reducing carbon emissions by 43% worldwide by 2030 compared to 2010, would require moving Earth Overshoot Day 19 days annually for the next seven years“, points out Petra Boić Petrač from WWF Adria.

Solutions to reverse ecological overshoot and bolster biological regeneration are at our disposal. The Power of Possibility platform https://www.overshootday.org/power-of-possibility showcases a wealth of commercial technologies, governmental strategies, public policies, and best practices from civic initiatives and academia. Increasing global low-carbon electricity sources from 39% to 75% would move it by 26 days, halving food waste would gain 13 days, and tree intercropping would earn an extra 2.1 days.

"The Overshoot day is yet another reminder of how much we are overexploiting natural resources, what leads to accelerating ecological and climate collapse. That is not only irresponsible but extremely dangerous and requires immediate action. World leaders must also rely on their political power to treat the current environmental situation as urgent and pave the way for a sustainable future. The recently passed the Nature Restoration Law in the European Parliament is the right way. We are waiting for its completion and to become mandatory. We all have to realise how important nature protection is and to support those for whom the implementation of this Act is a priority", concludes Boić Petrač.

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As of 2nd of August we live on ecological credit at the expense of nature!

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