What are ecological footprints?

Ecological footprints measure the extent to

which humans are using the Earths
bioproductive capacity

Units are global hectares

A hectare of land with average bio-productive
capacity (for agriculture, forest, nutrient cycling,
energy production, etc.)

A hectare = 2.5 acres

(1 acre is about a football field between the 5 yard lines)
(1 hectare is 2 complete football fields with endzones)
Ecological Footprint

From Living Planet Report 2008, World Wildlife Fund, 2008.

Ecological footprints measure Earths
carrying capacity for humans

In 2010, the biosphere had about 11.5 billion hectares

of biologically productive surface (about 1/4 of the
total planet)
2 billion ha of ocean (the continental shelves)
9.5 billion ha of land
Current estimates indicate that humans are over-
shooting the Earths carrying capacity by 25-50%
To sustain the current carrying capacity, we could need
11/2 Earths!
But, population growth and increasing development
means that we are increasing our use of Earths
carrying-capacity (bio-capacity)
From Living Planet Report 2008, World Wildlife Fund, 2008.
With respect to sustainability of the human endeavor,
population growth rate and population size are only
part of the picture: per capita consumption is the other

Developed countries
have very large
ecological footprints
Ecological Footprints (Hectares per person)
Ecological Footprint by Region

From Living Planet Report 2008, World Wildlife Fund, 2008.

United States Ecological Footprint By
Component

Biocapacity varies somewhat over time because of

technology, agricultural practices (such as fertilizer use
and irrigation), ecosystem degradation
Mexicos Footprint by Component
Mexico

Mexico has moved from using only 1/3 of its biocapacity

in 1961 to nearly 1 times its own biocapacity in 2002
Calculate your own ecological footprint
(Can you realistically reduce your footprint to 1 planet?)
So, where do we stand?

There are 11.5 billion hectares of bio-productive

land, and it is declining

There are about 7 billion people, and increasing at

about 1% per year

There are currently 1 2/3 hectares per person, and

most ecologists believe this is insufficient to support
a significant quality of life for the average person on
Earth

If we continue down the path we are on, there will be

less than 1 hectare per person by 2050
Sustainability ?

From Living Planet Report 2008, World Wildlife Fund, 2008.

Envisioning Solutions

Former president Bill Clinton has argued that

combating climate change doesnt have to mean
economic hardship (Clinton Initiative Topic)
It could be the biggest development stimulus since
World War II, creating millions of jobs and saving
trillions of dollars in foreign fuel imports
What are some of the strategies we have available?

9-20
 Controlling Emissions is Cheap
Compared to Climate Change
A 2010 study by the Pew Trust estimates the cost of lost
ecological services by 2100
Costs included factors such as lost agricultural
productivity from drought, damage to infrastructure from
flooding and storms, lost biological productivity, health
costs from heat stress, and lost water supplies
The Pew report found that climate change is likely to cost
between $5 trillion and $90 trillion by 2100
The Stern Review (2006) estimates a cost of only about 1%
of global GDP to avoid the worst impacts of climate change
There Are Many Ways We Can Control
Greenhouse Emissions

We can reduce dependence on coal, which produces

more CO2 per energy unit than any other fuel
We could institute fees for selling fossil fuelsthese would
help fossil fuel prices represent their many hidden costs
We can invest in new technologies and energy efficiency
We can institute emissions trading, by instituting a legal
cap on emissions, then allowing companies to buy and
sell shares of that total cap (Californias AB-32 does
this)
 A Wedge Approach Involves Dissecting
the Problem into Stepwise Solutions

To avoid a doubling of atmospheric CO2 we need to

reduce our annual carbon emissions by about 7
billion tons (=7 gigatons or GT) by 2060
Scientists have divided these emissions into 14
wedges, each of which represents 1 GT of
carbon emissions avoided in the year 2060
Local Initiatives Are Effective

California has greatly reduced Carbon emisions by

switching all coal burning power plants to natural gas
(decreased CO2 by 30%) & switching to green energy
production
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark pledged that
her country will be the first to be carbon neutral
Germany has reduced its CO2 emissions at least 10
percent by switching from coal to gas and by
encouraging energy efficiency throughout society
Denmark now gets 20% of its electricity from windmills
California: A long history of investing in
clean power and energy efficiency

1974 2008
 California is a model for efficiency

Per Capita Electricity Sales (not including self-generation)

United States
(2005)
= 4,000kWh/yr
kWh/person

= $400/capita

California
 Energy Efficiency Strategies
Flattening out the curve yesterday
Decouple sales from revenues eliminate disincentive
Set and strengthen building and appliance standards
Invest in utility energy efficiency programs

Bending the curve downward tomorrow

Strengthen incentives Decoupling Plus
Set long term goals to achieve durable, broad-based
reductions
Enhance strategic planning: work backwards from goals
Improve branding, messaging and marketing
Invest in workforce and research and development
 Wedge Analysis

Accomplishing just half of these wedges could level off our

emissions. Accomplishing all of them could return to levels well
below those envisioned in the Kyoto protocol
McKinsey, December 2007
U.S. GHG Abatement Mapping Initiative
22 States Committed to Regional Carbon
Markets (w/ an additional 8 observing)

Source:
Pew Center
 Products and the Environment

At first glance,
the relationship
between products
& our environment
may seem clear,

BUT.
Lets consider the simple French fry

What are its

connects to the
environment?
What impact does it
have?
How did the fry get to the restaurant?

Suppliers

Truck

Producer

Truck

Processing Plant

Truck

Distribution Center

Truck

Bobs Burger Shop

http://www.rprogress.org/
 What impact did its journey have?
Fossil Fuels
Fossil Fuels
Fertilizers Machinery
Suppliers
Pesticides
Truck Fossil Fuels
Irrigation Seeds

Machinery Producer Irrigation

Fossil Fuels
Hydropower Truck Fossil Fuels

Hydroelectric dam Machinery

Processing Plant
Hydropower Food waste
Truck Fossil Fuels Fossil Fuels

Freezer
Distribution Center Animal Feed

Hydroflourocarbons
Truck Fossil Fuels

Freezer
Bobs Burger Shop Packaging

http://www.rprogress.org/
 What impact did these impacts have?
Fossil Fuels Air
Fossil Fuels
Pollution
Fertilizers Machinery
Runoff Suppliers
Loss of
Pesticides
Biodiversity
Irrigation Truck Fossil Fuels
Seeds
Loss of Irrigation
Machinery Producer
Biodiversity
Air Fossil Fuels
Pollution Hydropower Truck Fossil Fuels Air
Pollution
Hydroelectric dam Machinery
Processing Plant
Hydropower Food waste
Truck Fossil Fuels Fossil Fuels

Freezer
Distribution Center Animal Feed
Damage
Hydroflourocarbons
To Ozone
Truck Fossil Fuels
Freezer Solid
Bobs Burger Shop Packaging Waste

http://www.rprogress.org/
 Forests How might all of this affect the Forests
Earths systems?
Fossil Fuels Air
Fossil Fuels Pollution
Fertilizers Machinery
Runoff Suppliers
Loss of
Pesticides River
Biodiversity
Irrigation Truck Fossil Fuels
Seeds
Loss of
Machinery Producer Irrigation
Biodiversity Cropland
Air Fossil Fuels
Pollution Hydropower Truck Fossil Fuels Air
Pollution
Hydroelectric dam Machinery
Processing Plant Forests
Hydropower Food waste
Truck Fossil Fuels
Fossil Fuels
Freezer
Distribution Center Animal Feed Grazing Land
Damage
Hydroflourocarbons Truck Fossil Fuels
To Ozone

Freezer Solid
Bobs Burger Shop Packaging Waste

Forests Built-up Land Built-up Land

http://www.rprogress.org/
 Weve considered only the potato

Consider all the other

parts of your meal
the other foods
the utensils
the napkins
the condiments
the drinks
There are multiple
environmental impacts
involved in these as well