From this Thursday, July 28, 2022, there is no turning back. And for good reason, in just seven months humanity has used up all available resources for the year. Until December 31, we will therefore live on ecological credit…
Overshoot day, as it is called, is coming earlier and earlier. In 1970 it was December 30, in 1996 it was September 30, and in 2020 it was August 22. In 2022, this dreaded date for climatologists has been set at July 28, six months earlier than 50 years ago.
But what does that mean in concrete terms? The “overshoot day” (or Earth Overshoot Day) is calculated by the Global footprint network, an environmental footprint think tank, and is the wake-up call for our planetary resources. In other words, “overshoot day” occurs when humanity has consumed everything ecosystems can regenerate in a year.
To calculate it, specialists divide the amount of ecological resources the Earth can generate in twelve months (also called planetary biocapacity) by our ecological footprint. The sum is then multiplied by 365, which is the number of days in a year.
“For the remaining 156 days, our consumption of renewable resources will consist of eating up the planet’s natural capital..”
Laetitia Mailhes Global footprint networkquoted by TF1
It would take 1.75 planets to support the world’s population (currently estimated at 7.7 billion). If strong, quick and concrete measures are not taken, this figure will continue to rise over the years, especially as the number of people is estimated to be 11 billion by the end of the century.
An alarming figure that reminds us of the urgency to act for the planet…