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#course 1: Earth Overshoot Day 2022: What is Earth Overshoot Day?

Step1: Investigate. Read the following article :

Earth Overshoot Day 2022: What is Earth Overshoot Day?

By Caroline Garrett , Updated on 16/05/2022


https://climate.selectra.com/en/environment/earth-overshoot-day

5 July 29: This is the day in 2021 when humanity had consumed all the renewable resources
that the planet can renew in a single year, also known as Earth Overshoot Day. How is Earth
Overshoot Day calculated and why is it different for each country? Let's take a look at this
fateful day and explore the solutions to move the date!

1. What is Earth Overshoot Day and how does it affect us?

10 Each year's Earth Overshoot Day marks the calendar date when humanity has used up all the
biological resources that the Earth can renew during the entire year. The faster humanity
uses up these resources the sooner in the calendar year Earth Overshoot Day is, which
includes engaging in: Deforestation; Overfishing; Overfarming; Greenhouse gas emissions
from burning fossil fuels.

15 From the 1970s to 2019, the date of the Earth Overshoot Day has been steadily increasing. In
1970, it fell on December 30. In 1996 it was three months earlier on September 30, and in
2020 it was four months earlier on August 22.

In 2022, the Earth Overshoot Day fell on July 28. From that date onwards, humanity was
living beyond the planet's capacity and entering the last four months of 2022 in a resource
20 deficit.

2. When did Earth Overshoot Day occur in 2020 and why is it getting earlier each year?

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the date of Earth Overshoot Day was moved three
weeks later than the previous year. This is due to the national lockdowns and the
exceptional slowdown of the current economic model, in particular due to reduced CO2
25 emissions and less deforestation around the world.

However, this downward trend is only temporary. If the economy picks up as before, the
Earth Overshoot Day will continue to advance a little further each year. The economic
stimulus packages being prepared around the world are an opportunity for governments to
change the current system and move towards a circular economy.

30 3. How is Earth Overshoot Day calculated?

Each year, the NGO Global Footprint Network calculates the Earth Overshoot Day based on 3
million statistical data from 200 countries.

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#course 1: Earth Overshoot Day 2022: What is Earth Overshoot Day?

The Earth Overshoot Day is calculated by dividing the planet's biocapacity (in global
hectares) by humanity's ecological footprint (in global hectares) and multiplying by the
35 number of days in a year, which is 365.

4. Earth Overshoot Day 2022 by country

Every country has a different Overshoot Day, because not all countries have the same
biocapacity or ecological footprint. If a country's demand for ecological resources exceeds its
supply of biocapacity, the country has an ecological deficit and an earlier Overshoot Day.

40 According to Global Footprint data, the country with the earliest Overshoot Day in 2022 is
Qatar, which occurred on February 10, as opposed to Jamaica, which has the latest date,
falling on December 20.

STEP2: Recognize and Communicate. In a group of two, check the following website and
identify the 10 countries with the earliest/latest Overshoot days in 2022. Anything you find
45 surprising? Imagine the reasons for these dates.

https://www.designingyourlife.coach/blog/2022/04/27/country-overshoot-days-2022

The ten countries with the earliest Overshoot The ten countries with the latest
days. Overshoot days.
Country Date Country Date

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#course 1: Earth Overshoot Day 2022: What is Earth Overshoot Day?

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What about 2023?

5. What about my Overshoot day? Let’s find out:


https://www.footprintcalculator.org/home/en

You may change the language to fully understand the scope of the questions but your
feedback will be in English.

6. How do I reduce my ecological footprint?

There are many ways, big and small, we can all work to postpone each annual Earth
Overshoot Day.

4 ways to postpone the deadline according to the WWF:

1. Reforesting 350 million hectares of forest could postpone the deadline by 8 days;
2. Reducing global meat consumption by half would postpone the deadline by 17 days;
3. Dividing humanity's carbon footprint in half would postpone the deadline by 93 days,
or about three months;
4. Reducing global food waste by 50% would delay the deadline by 13 days.

On a personal level, here are some easy habits to adopt in your daily life:

 Recycle your waste;


 Save energy;
 Change your supplier and switch to renewable energy: green electricity and biogas;
 Choose environmentally friendly transport ;
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10 #course 1: Earth Overshoot Day 2022: What is Earth Overshoot Day?

Step 3: Reflect. Oral feedback. (2 minutes max) After sharing your Overshoot day, you will
comment upon the 4 ways suggested by the WWF and choose which easy habit you can
adopt for a better world.

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